OCTOBER 2013 | Chuan Wang, David Hwang, Zhibin Yu, Kuniharu Takei, Junwoo Park, Teresa Chen, Biwu Ma, Ali Javey
A user-interactive electronic skin (e-skin) that provides instantaneous pressure visualization is developed. This e-skin integrates a flexible, large-area active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display with a pressure sensor, enabling spatial mapping and real-time visual feedback of applied pressure. The system uses carbon nanotube thin-film transistors (TFTs) as the active-matrix backplane, with OLEDs and pressure sensors monolithically integrated on a plastic substrate. When pressure is applied, the OLEDs turn on locally, with brightness proportional to the pressure magnitude. The e-skin demonstrates a system-on-plastic platform, combining three key components—TFTs, pressure sensors, and OLED arrays—on a single substrate. The e-skin is flexible, with a 16×16 pixel array (≈3×3.5 cm²) that can be bent without performance degradation. It is capable of spatially mapping and visually displaying pressure profiles, with applications in interactive devices, robotics, and medical monitoring. The system uses a pressure-sensitive rubber layer that increases conductivity under pressure, enabling the OLEDs to turn on. The e-skin's response time is fast enough for practical applications, with a single-pixel response time of ~1 ms. The e-skin is fabricated using a microfabrication process that ensures high yield and uniformity. The OLEDs are characterized for their electroluminescence and electrical performance, with a wide range of colors demonstrated. The e-skin can be used with various pressure sources, including PDMS slabs, to map and display pressure in real time. The system is compatible with future large-scale manufacturing and has potential applications in automotive, robotics, and health monitoring. The work highlights the integration of organic and inorganic materials for flexible, high-performance electronic systems.A user-interactive electronic skin (e-skin) that provides instantaneous pressure visualization is developed. This e-skin integrates a flexible, large-area active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display with a pressure sensor, enabling spatial mapping and real-time visual feedback of applied pressure. The system uses carbon nanotube thin-film transistors (TFTs) as the active-matrix backplane, with OLEDs and pressure sensors monolithically integrated on a plastic substrate. When pressure is applied, the OLEDs turn on locally, with brightness proportional to the pressure magnitude. The e-skin demonstrates a system-on-plastic platform, combining three key components—TFTs, pressure sensors, and OLED arrays—on a single substrate. The e-skin is flexible, with a 16×16 pixel array (≈3×3.5 cm²) that can be bent without performance degradation. It is capable of spatially mapping and visually displaying pressure profiles, with applications in interactive devices, robotics, and medical monitoring. The system uses a pressure-sensitive rubber layer that increases conductivity under pressure, enabling the OLEDs to turn on. The e-skin's response time is fast enough for practical applications, with a single-pixel response time of ~1 ms. The e-skin is fabricated using a microfabrication process that ensures high yield and uniformity. The OLEDs are characterized for their electroluminescence and electrical performance, with a wide range of colors demonstrated. The e-skin can be used with various pressure sources, including PDMS slabs, to map and display pressure in real time. The system is compatible with future large-scale manufacturing and has potential applications in automotive, robotics, and health monitoring. The work highlights the integration of organic and inorganic materials for flexible, high-performance electronic systems.