EPFL team patents ‘super-elastic’, ‘ultra-sensitive’ fibre
The laboratory of photonic materials and fibre devices (FIMAP) department of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (or École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne [EPFL]) research institute recently proposed a new, patented way of preparing flexible sensors.
Led by EPFL associate professor Fabien Sorin, the project team developed a method that can embed different types of microstructures in “super-elastic” fibres, forming fibres that contain electrodes and nanocomposites from the elastic system.
The kind of fibre produced has the ability to return to its original shape after being stretched beyond nearly 500% of its original capacity.
By adding electrodes at key points, the fibre can be turned into an “ultra-sensitive” sensor, making it “ideal” for wearable categories such as smart clothing and prostheses, in addition to artificial nerves for robots.
After incorporating the fibre in the production of clothing material, the team found that it was able to detect compression and tensile forces. Further, the technology can be used to develop a touch keyboard “directly integrated” into clothing, Mr Sorin said.
The complete results were recently published by Mr Sorin and others in an Advanced Materials Technologies journal article.
Image: EPFL’s campus via Instagram.
