Strain sensors are used to detect mechanical forces and convert them into electrical signals. They are used in various applications to monitor the load cell measurement, strain in aircraft during flight, structural health monitoring, and stress on railway tracks. However, they are also transforming biomedical applications to track health-related signals. While their use in biomedical devices has attracted interest in the field, existing strain sensors are limited in their ability to capture motion in multiple directions. Detecting multidirectional strain-induced deformations is a crucial aspect for the effective use of strain sensors in real-world contexts, and research into incorporating this capability into a single device has been challenging.

Carbon Nanotubes Use in Strain Sensors

Researchers, based at Peking University in China, have recently developed a strain sensor that uses carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to enable the detection of deformations in multiple directions. To achieve this, the researchers manufactured vertically aligned CNTs on a silicon wafer. These were then transferred to a flexible material using a “one-step” rolling process, forming conductive pathways in multiple different directions. This resulted in the detection of multidirectional deformation with high sensitivity. The sensor was able to detect through a wide operating range of 0-120% with a short response time and high stability.

What Does This Mean for Biomedical Devices?

Biomedical devices have the potential to be transformed through the use of multidirectional deformation sensing, enabling their use in a wide variety of health monitoring circumstances. For example, using CNTs to detect multidirectional deformations in prosthetic limbs could be used to monitor pressure points in the limb, improving the fit of the prosthetic and detecting the potential for problems, such as sores. The use of CNTs in strain sensors to provide multi-directional sensing could also be used to improve wearable devices, such as smartwatches and fitness trackers, by increasing the range of motion that the sensor can detect.

TrimTabs Take

We’re excited to see the use of nanotubes diversifying to different applications – this time in medicine. We look forward to seeing other nanotube integrations into medical devices and how this application can improve human health.

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Carbon nanotube-based strain sensor can detect deformations in multiple directions