Graphene-coated liquid metal droplet-based inertial sensor for motion monitoring and human machine interfaces
Tuesday, February 14, 2023
11 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. ET
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Wedyan Babatain, Postdoctoral Fellow
MIT Media Lab
Inertial sensing technologies, including accelerometers and gyroscopes, have been invaluable in numerous fields ranging from consumer electronics to healthcare and clinical practices. Inertial measurement units, specifically accelerometers, represent the most widely used microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices with excellent and reliable performance.
Although MEMS-based accelerometers have many attractive attributes, such as their tiny footprint, high sensitivity, high reliability, and multiple functionalities, they are limited by their complex and expensive microfabrication processes and cumbersome, fragile structures that suffer from mechanical fatigue over time. Moreover, the rigid nature of beams and spring-like structures of conventional accelerometers limit their applications for wearable devices and soft-human machine interfaces where physical compliance that is compatible with human skin is a priority.
In this talk, Wedyan will discuss the development of practical resistive and capacitive-type inertial sensors using liquid metal as a functional proof mass material. Utilizing the unique electromechanical properties of liquid metal, the novel inertial sensor design confines a graphene-coated liquid metal droplet inside tubular and 3D architectures, enabling motion sensing in single and multiple directions.
Combining the graphene-coated liquid metal droplet with printed sensing elements offers a robust fatigue-free alternative material for rigid, proof mass-based accelerometers. In this research, resistive and capacitive sensing mechanisms were both developed, characterized, and evaluated. Emerging rapid fabrication technologies such as direct laser writing and 3D printing were mainly adopted, offering a scalable fabrication strategy independent of advanced microfabrication facilities.
Wedyan will demonstrate the integrated sensor for real-time- monitoring of human health/ physical activity and for soft human-machine interfaces. She will discuss how the proposed inertial sensor architecture and materials offer a new paradigm for manufacturing these widely used sensors that have the potential to complement the performance of their silicon-based counterparts and extend their applications.
Attendees can join and participate in the series via Zoom.