Material Recognition Sensor Array by Electrostatic Induction and Triboelectric Effects

Abstract The development of the sensor array has received substantial attention due to its enormous potential in artificial intelligences. The development of a sensor array with supernatural functions is of great significance and this paper presents a sort of flexible sensor array capable of recognizing material based on the electrostatic induction and triboelectric effects. In the nature, different materials have different abilities of gaining or donating electrons. When a tested material (including plastic, glass, or metal) approaches or leaves different probe materials integrated in the sensor array, the amplitude and phase of the induced electrical signals, which are related to the inherent feature of the tested material, are detected and analyzed, and then, the tested material can be distinguished. This sort of flexible sensor array has advantages of quick response (70 ms), accurate identification, low cost, and easy fabrication. It has promising application in wearable electronic devices and intelligent robots.