This post is also available in:
עברית (Hebrew)
In a breakthrough that merges traditional ceramics with cutting-edge technology, researchers at Empa’s Laboratory for High-Performance Ceramics are reshaping the future of robotics and prosthetics with innovative soft ceramic-based sensors. These sensors are engineered to be flexible, intelligent, and capable of sensing pressure, temperature, and strain.
The key to this development is the incorporation of tiny ceramic particles into soft and stretchy plastic. This combination allows the creation of sensors that are not only highly adaptable but also capable of sensing environmental changes with remarkable precision. According to Frank Clemens, a material scientist at Empa, the researchers work with “highly filled systems”, where they fill a thermoplastic matrix with as many ceramic particles as possible without compromising the material’s elasticity.
These ceramic-based sensors work by altering their conductivity based on the distance between ceramic particles, which changes in response to pressure, compression, temperature fluctuations, or stretching. This unique feature allows the sensors to be molded into various shapes, from thin films to complex 3D structures, making them ideal for integration into robotics and prosthetics.
One of the most promising applications of this technology was demonstrated with a prosthetic hand equipped with these soft sensors. The sensors allowed the prosthetic to “feel” finger movements and detect hot surfaces, a significant advancement in replicating the dexterity and sensitivity of human touch. This sensitivity is crucial not only for prosthetics but also for robotic tools that work closely with humans.
In collaboration with ETH Zurich and the University of Tokyo, Empa researchers also created a bio-hybrid robot, using these flexible sensors to enable it to sense its own movements, according to Interesting Engineering. This could lead to robots that work safely alongside humans, with the ability to react to touch or pressure in real-time.
Beyond robotics, these sensors are also being explored in the medical field, with partnerships to develop flexible electrodes for measuring brain waves. As these sensors evolve, they hold the potential to revolutionize both the robotics industry and the field of human prosthetics, providing smarter, safer, and more sensitive technologies.
