Innovations in Flexible Electronic Skin: Material, Structural and Applications

Abstract

Flexible electronic skin (e-skin) has emerged as a promising technology for advanced sensing capabilities in applications such as robotics, prosthetics, and human-machine interfaces. The properties of e-skin devices hinge on the selection of appropriate materials and structures, such as sensitivity, mechanical flexibility, and biocompatibility. This article provides an overview of the current state of e-skin research, focusing on the materials and structures used to create e-skin devices. Various materials were discussed in this paper, including conductive polymers, carbon nanotubes, graphene, bacterial cellulose, metal-organic frameworks, ionogels, and self-healing materials, highlighting their unique properties and potential applications in e-skin designs. Additionally, the structures and architectures of e-skin devices were examined, covering aspects such as multilayer designs, hybrid structures, and hierarchical configurations. This comprehensive review offers valuable insights into the development and optimization of e-skin materials and structures, paving the way for the creation of innovative, high-performance e-skin devices for various applications.