Research on multi-modal flexible sensing technology based on liquid-metal alloys

Flexible sensing technology plays a key role in robotics intelligence, wearable devices, and biomedicine. Compared to rigid sensors, flexible sensors have advantages such as compliance, multimodal deformation sensing, stability, repeatability, hysteresis, and low cost. With technological advancements, flexible sensors will better adapt to large deformations in devices and provide reliable sensing. This article introduces a flexible monolithic multimodal sensor using liquid metal technology to detect stretching, twisting, bending, and pressing forces and spatial deformations through a single sensor. Unlike traditional resistive sensors, this sensor analyzes the rate of resistance changes in different parts to output signals. It features specialized liquid metal microchannels for various deformation modes, ensuring significant volume changes in corresponding microchannels while minimizing changes in other channels to prevent signal interference. By comparing the resistance changes in liquid metal-filled microchannels, the sensor can assess the extent of deformation in each channel accurately.