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Ultrawide-Range Wearable Pressure Sensors for High-Load Prosthetic Interfaces
Tianhao Yu1, Axel González Cornejo2, Ziheng Wang1
1School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States.
ACS Nano
|December 21, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed a novel wearable pressure sensor capable of detecting pressures from 70 Pa to 4 MPa. This ultrabroad range technology enhances biomedical applications, including advanced prosthetic devices.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biomedical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Wearable pressure sensors are crucial for biomedical applications like prosthetics and surgical tools.
- Existing sensors have limited pressure ranges (≤100 kPa), hindering use in high-pressure environments such as prosthetic sockets.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a wearable pressure sensor with an ultrabroad detection range.
- To overcome the limitations of current sensors in high-pressure biomedical applications.
Main Methods:
- Utilized poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) as a molecular binder.
- Employed electrostatic anchoring of multiwalled carbon nanotubes within a polyurethane foam scaffold.
- Implemented a PDDA-assisted layer-by-layer assembly technique.
Main Results:
- Achieved an ultrabroad pressure detection range from 70 Pa to 4 MPa.
- Created a stable, homogeneous, and highly compressible conductive network.
- Demonstrated preserved sensitivity across subtle and extreme pressures.
Conclusions:
- The developed sensor offers one of the widest pressure ranges for wearable systems.
- Integration into a smart sheath for lower-limb prosthetics enabled real-time pressure mapping.
- Presents a viable solution for continuous, high-pressure monitoring in demanding wearable applications.
