Omnidirectionally Strain‐Unperturbed Tactile Array from Modulus Regulation in Quasi‐Homogeneous Elastomer Meshes

Abstract

AbstractSkin‐like stretchable tactile arrays are of paramount significance for perceiving physical interactions in dynamic biological tissues, prosthetic limbs, and robots. However, mechanical strain‐induced interference invariably degrades the pressure‐sensing accuracy of tactile arrays. In this work, an omnidirectionally strain‐unperturbed tactile array is prepared through modulus regulation in quasi‐homogeneous elastomer meshes. By varying fiber orientations, the proportion of intrinsic elastic and structural deformations in quasi‐homogeneous elastomer meshes can be adjusted, and the modulus can be regulated from 0.23 to 8.23 MPa. The tactile array combined with low‐ and high‐modulus elastomer meshes enables strain‐unperturbed pressure sensing through local stiffening and controllable deformation. Remarkably, the tactile array exhibits 97% strain insensitivity when stretched 100% along the omniplane directions. Moreover, the quasi‐homogeneous structure endows the tactile array with high robustness, even after 5000 cycles of severe stretching or pressing. By integrating the tactile array with a microcontroller, a tactile visualization system is built to achieve accurate tactile interaction even under multiaxial tensile strain. This work provides an alternative insight into the design of omnidirectionally strain‐unperturbed electronic devices for wide applications on dynamic surfaces.