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Updated: Sep 21, 2025

Bioinspired Soft Robot with Incorporated Microelectrodes
Published on: February 28, 2020
Bioinspired soft electroreceptors for artificial precontact somatosensation
Zi Hao Guo1,2, Hai Lu Wang1, Jiajia Shao1,2
1Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100083, P. R. China.
Abstract:
Artificial haptic sensors form the basis of touch-based human-interfaced applications. However, they are unable to respond to remote events before physical contact. Some elasmobranch fishes, such as seawater sharks, use electroreception somatosensory system for remote environmental perception. Inspired by this ability, we design a soft artificial electroreceptor for sensing approaching targets. The electroreceptor, enabled by an elastomeric electret, is capable of encoding environmental precontact information into a series of voltage pulses functioning as unique precontact human interfaces. Electroceptor applications are demonstrated in a prewarning system, robotic control, game operation, and three-dimensional object recognition. These capabilities in perceiving proximal precontact events can lenrich the functionalities and applications of human-interfaced electronics.
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