16 February 2024 | Yanqin Yang, Tianyi He, Pratibha Ravindran, Feng Wen, Pannaga Krishnamurthy, Luwei Wang, Zixuan Zhang, Prakash P. Kumar, Eunyoung Chae, Chengkuo Lee
An all-organic transparent plant e-skin was developed for noninvasive plant phenotyping. This e-skin, made of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) micropatterned on a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate, is optically and mechanically invisible to plants and has no adverse effects on plant health. It functions as a strain and temperature sensor, enabling real-time monitoring of plant growth and surface temperature. The e-skin was tested on Brassica rapa leaves, revealing diurnal growth patterns and varying growth rates under different abiotic stress conditions. A digital-twin interface was developed to visualize real-time plant surface environments, providing an intuitive platform for plant phenotyping.
The e-skin was fabricated using a scalable microfabrication process, allowing for micropatterning of PEDOT:PSS on a stretchable PDMS substrate. The e-skin is transparent, ultrathin, and stretchable, enabling it to be configured into strain and temperature sensors. It was tested on various plant leaves, demonstrating durability and conformability. The e-skin's strain sensor showed a sensitivity of 1.15 to 4.13, with minimal drift over time. The temperature sensor exhibited a temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of approximately 0.5% per degree Celsius.
The e-skin was tested for biocompatibility, showing no adverse effects on plant growth, root development, or photosynthesis. It was found to be non-invasive and suitable for long-term monitoring. The e-skin was also tested under various environmental conditions, including heat and drought stress, revealing significant changes in plant growth and surface temperature. The e-skin's ability to monitor plant growth and surface temperature under different conditions highlights its potential for precision agriculture and smart farming.
A digital-twin plant system was developed to visualize plant surface temperatures in real-time. This system uses sensors on plant surfaces to record leaf surface temperatures, which are then processed and displayed in a virtual reality (VR) environment. The system allows for the visualization of distinct temperature states through intuitive color changes of the corresponding digital-twin plants. This system has the potential to provide a visual platform for meticulous and timely monitoring in smart farming.
The e-skin's characteristics, including biocompatibility, transparency, stretchability, and conformability, make it a promising tool for plant phenotyping. The integration of strain and temperature sensors offers real-time data for agricultural practitioners, enabling prompt intervention to prevent suboptimal plant growth. The e-skin's potential applications extend beyond plant research to the broader context of smart agriculture.An all-organic transparent plant e-skin was developed for noninvasive plant phenotyping. This e-skin, made of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) micropatterned on a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate, is optically and mechanically invisible to plants and has no adverse effects on plant health. It functions as a strain and temperature sensor, enabling real-time monitoring of plant growth and surface temperature. The e-skin was tested on Brassica rapa leaves, revealing diurnal growth patterns and varying growth rates under different abiotic stress conditions. A digital-twin interface was developed to visualize real-time plant surface environments, providing an intuitive platform for plant phenotyping.
The e-skin was fabricated using a scalable microfabrication process, allowing for micropatterning of PEDOT:PSS on a stretchable PDMS substrate. The e-skin is transparent, ultrathin, and stretchable, enabling it to be configured into strain and temperature sensors. It was tested on various plant leaves, demonstrating durability and conformability. The e-skin's strain sensor showed a sensitivity of 1.15 to 4.13, with minimal drift over time. The temperature sensor exhibited a temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of approximately 0.5% per degree Celsius.
The e-skin was tested for biocompatibility, showing no adverse effects on plant growth, root development, or photosynthesis. It was found to be non-invasive and suitable for long-term monitoring. The e-skin was also tested under various environmental conditions, including heat and drought stress, revealing significant changes in plant growth and surface temperature. The e-skin's ability to monitor plant growth and surface temperature under different conditions highlights its potential for precision agriculture and smart farming.
A digital-twin plant system was developed to visualize plant surface temperatures in real-time. This system uses sensors on plant surfaces to record leaf surface temperatures, which are then processed and displayed in a virtual reality (VR) environment. The system allows for the visualization of distinct temperature states through intuitive color changes of the corresponding digital-twin plants. This system has the potential to provide a visual platform for meticulous and timely monitoring in smart farming.
The e-skin's characteristics, including biocompatibility, transparency, stretchability, and conformability, make it a promising tool for plant phenotyping. The integration of strain and temperature sensors offers real-time data for agricultural practitioners, enabling prompt intervention to prevent suboptimal plant growth. The e-skin's potential applications extend beyond plant research to the broader context of smart agriculture.