A Dual-Helix Liquid Metal Tilt Sensor for High-Precision and Multifunctional Applications

Traditional liquid metal (LM) tilt sensors face limitations in miniaturization and dynamic monitoring due to bulky designs and signal lag caused by high viscosity. To address these challenges, a dual-helix LM tilt sensor that synergizes geometrically guided mass redistribution with oxide-enhanced interfacial adhesion is presented. The sensor features helical microchannels fabricated via metal filament templating, facilitating gravity-induced displacement of LM and periodic modulation of the conductive pathway. This design achieves high-precision tilt detection from -90° to +90°, with an angular resolution of ≤0.5°, rapid response time (≈160 ms), and stable performance over 2000 operating cycles. Demonstrating versatility, the sensor is successfully applied to gesture-based language encoding and surface topography scanning, underscoring its applicability in wearable electronics, robotic systems, and human-machine interaction platforms. This work provides a scalable framework for next-generation tilt sensors with enhanced reliability and adaptability in dynamic environments.