- Fusing highly sensitive pressure sensors and artificial synapses that mimic starfish structures

- Expect applications in wearables, robots, prosthetics, and other smart devices 

A research team led by Professor Sin-Hyung Lee from the Department of Intelligent Semiconductor Engineering at the University of Seoul's School of Advanced Fusion Studies announced on May 2 that they succeeded in developing a high-performance artificial tactile nerve system. The team used high-sensitivity tactile sensors and artificial synapse technology through joint research with Dr. Bo Yeon Lee of the Korea Advanced Institute of Mechanical Engineering. 

The research was published online in npj Flexible Electronics, an international journal in electronics. Jae-Young Cho, a master's student in the Department of Intelligent Semiconductor Engineering at University of Seoul, is the first author. Prof. Sin-Hyung Lee and Dr. Bo-Yeon Lee are the corresponding authors.

The team developed a proximity-sensor computing technology that integrates highly sensitive tactile sensors and artificial synapses capable of detecting different pressures, similar to the human body. Like the biological nervous system, this technology can simultaneously detect external stimuli and process information without a separate processor. Therefore, it is an important technology for smart sensor systems that can be applied to various wearable electronic devices.

Existing artificial tactile nerves are limited by low compatibility between pressure sensors and synaptic elements, which results in high energy consumption and a limited sensing band for external stimuli that is larger than in vivo. The team developed a high-performance pressure sensor based on a microstructure that mimics the surface structure of starfish. They integrated this sensor with mechanically flexible and highly compatible artificial synaptic devices to realize an artificial tactile nerve with a high sensing band and high energy efficiency.

The technology has a wide range of applications, including real-time fingerprint recognition in wearable devices, prosthetic limbs, and smart robotic systems.

"This artificial tactile nerve technology is a new concept with similar sensing performance and efficiency to the human body, which can drive the development of wearable electronics and artificial intelligence systems," said Prof. Sin-Hyung Lee.

This research received support from the Ministry of Science and ICT, the National Research Foundation of Korea's Individual Basic Research Support Project (Mid-Career Research), the Basic Research Laboratory Support Project, the Basic Project of the Korea Institute of Mechanical Engineering, and the Robot Industry Technology Development Project of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy. 

▶ Professor Sin-Hyung Lee, School of Advanced Fusion Studies, Dr. Bo-Yeon Lee, M.S., and Jae-Young Cho, PhD