Elastic components for prosthetic skin.

ABSTRACT

We have developed two fundamental components to manufacture a prosthetic skin a stretchable pressure sensor formed of piezoelectric elastomer/ferroelectret multilayer sandwiched between stretchable electrodes and stretchable thin-film transistors. The components are prepared and embedded in silicone rubber, a polymer, which mimics the mechanical compliance of human skin. We demonstrate the stretchability of the sensory unit. In both relaxed and stretched states, the soft sensor skin transduces kPa pressures into electrical currents in the µA range.