Recent advances and future prospects in tactile sensors for normal and shear force detection, decoupling, and applications

Abstract Human skin, through its complex mechanoreceptor system, possesses the exceptional ability to finely perceive and differentiate multimodal mechanical stimuli, forming the biological foundation for dexterous manipulation, environmental exploration, and tactile perception. Tactile sensors that emulate this sensory capability, particularly in the detection, decoupling, and application of normal and shear forces, have made significant strides in recent years. This review comprehensively examines the latest research advancements in tactile sensors for normal and shear force sensing, delving into the design and decoupling methods of multi-unit structures, multilayer encapsulation structures, and bionic structures. It analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of various sensing principles, including piezoresistive, capacitive, and self-powered mechanisms, and evaluates their application potential in health monitoring, robotics, wearable devices, smart prosthetics, and human-machine interaction. By systematically summarizing current research progress and technical challenges, this review aims to provide forward-looking insights into future research directions, driving the development of electronic skin technology to ultimately achieve tactile perception capabilities comparable to human skin.