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Development of a Carbon Fiber Knitted Capacitive Touch Sensor

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2016

Richard Vallett ,
Ryan Young ,
Chelsea Knittel ,
Youngmoo Kim  and
Genevieve Dion
Richard Vallett
Affiliation:
Shima Seiki Haute Tech Lab at ExCITe, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States ExCITe Center, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, College of Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Ryan Young
Affiliation:
Shima Seiki Haute Tech Lab at ExCITe, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States ExCITe Center, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States Department of Computer Science, College of Computing and Informatics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Chelsea Knittel
Affiliation:
Shima Seiki Haute Tech Lab at ExCITe, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States ExCITe Center, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Youngmoo Kim
Affiliation:
ExCITe Center, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Genevieve Dion*
Affiliation:
Shima Seiki Haute Tech Lab at ExCITe, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States ExCITe Center, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States Department of Design, Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
*
*(Email: gd63@drexel.edu)

Abstract

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Textiles, in combination with advances in materials and design, offer exciting new possibilities for human and environmental interaction, including biometric and touch-based sensing. Previous fabric-based or flexible touch sensors have generally required a large number of sensing electrodes positioned in a dense XY grid configuration and a multitude of wires. This paper investigates the design and manufacturing of a planar (two-dimensional, XY location) touch fabric sensor with only two electrodes (wires) to sense both planar touch and pressure, making it ideal for applications with limited space/complexity for wiring. The proposed knitted structure incorporates a supplementary method of sensing to detect human touch on the fabric surface, which offers advantages over previous methods of touch localization through an efficient use of wire connections and sensing materials. This structure is easily manufactured as a single component utilizing flatbed knitting techniques and electrically conductive yarns. The design requires no embedded electronics or solid components in the fabric, which allows the sensor to be flexible and resilient. This paper discusses the design, fabrication, sensing methods, and applications of the fabric sensor in robotics and human-machine interaction, smart garments, and wearables, as well as the highly transdisciplinary approach pursued in developing medical textiles and flexible embedded sensors.

Keywords

devicessimulationC
Type
Articles
Information
MRS Advances , Volume 1 , Issue 38: Materials Design , 2016 , pp. 2641 - 2651
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2016 

References

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