A Thermally Stable Piezoresistive Textile for Reliable Tactile Sensing

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Robotics Engineering
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Conventional tactile sensors fail in high-temperature environments due to material degradation.
• Robotic applications in extreme heat require robust, heat-resistant sensing solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel piezoresistive textile capable of stable tactile sensing at ultrahigh temperatures.
• To demonstrate the material's durability, heat resistance, and performance in a robotic application.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a piezoresistive textile using airflow-assisted rotary spinning and density-controlled sintering.
• Core-shell material design featuring silicon oxycarbide core and amorphous carbon shell for enhanced durability.
• Testing sensor performance at temperatures up to 495°C and long-term stability testing at 250°C.

Main Results:

• The novel textile demonstrated stable piezoresistive sensing above 495°C.
• The material exhibited excellent flame resistance and mechanical strength due to its core-shell structure.
• The sensor maintained consistent performance at 250°C for over 24 hours and withstood 495°C for 4 hours.
• Successful retrieval of an object from flames using a robotic gripper equipped with the textile sensor.

Conclusions:

• The developed piezoresistive textile offers a promising solution for tactile sensing in extreme high-temperature environments.
• The material's robust design and scalable manufacturing process enable its use in demanding robotic applications.
• This innovation advances the capabilities of robots operating in environments previously inaccessible to tactile sensing.