A team of researchers at the University of British Columbia recently developed a remarkable experiment with hydrogel sensors that contain salts with positive and negative ions of different sizes.
As indicated in a SciTechDaily report, ionic skins have shown substantial advantages in creating smart skin that matches the real skin's capabilities.
They are composed of biocompatible, flexible hydrogels that use ions to transport an electrical charge. Different from smart skins comprising plastics and metals, hydrogels are as soft as the actual skin.
This offers a more natural feel to the robot or prosthetic hand they are mounted on, making them comfortable to wear.
Hydrogel Sensors
Such hydrogels can induce voltages when touched, although scientists did not understand clearly how the researchers developed the unique experiment published in the Science journal.
According to Yuta Dobashi, the lead author of the study who started the work as part of his master's in biomedical engineering at UBC, how hydrogel sensors work is they generate voltages and currents in reaction to stimuli; like touch or pressure, what's called a "piezoionic effect." However, added the lead author, they didn't know exactly how such voltages are produced.
Working under the supervision of Dr. John Madden, a UBC researcher, Dobashi devised the said sensors. He and collaborators in the physics and chemistry departments of UBC applied magnetic fields to track accurately how the ions moved when the pressure was used in the sensor.
The lead author also explained that when pressure is applied to the gel, that pressure spreads out the ions in the liquid at different speeds, producing an electric signal.
Ionic Skin
A similar Today UK News specified those positive ions, which tend to be tender, move quicker than the larger, negative ones.
This leads to an uneven distribution of ions which produces an electric field, making a piezoionic sensor work.
The study authors say this new knowledge verifies that hydrogels are working similarly to how humans are detecting pressures, which is through moving ions as well, in response to pressure, boosting potential new applications for ionic skins,
Another application is a soft hydrogel worn on the skin that can monitor the vital signs while being unobtrusive, not to mention producing its power.
Artificial Joints
Dobashi, who is presently completing his Ph.D. work at the University of Toronto, is eager to continue working after graduating in ionic technologies.
He said a future where jelly-like "iontronics" can be imagined are used for body implants, artificial joints can be implanted minus the fear of rejection inside the human body.
Essentially, ionic devices can be used as part of synthetic knee cartilage, adding a smart sensing element. A piezoionic gel implant might discharge drugs based on the amount of pressure it senses.
Dr. Madden also explained that the market for smart skins is approximated at $4.5 billion in 2019 and continues to grow. Smart skins can be incorporated into clothing or placed directly on the skin, and ionic skins are among the "technologies that can further that growth."
Related information about bionic skin is shown on Freethink's YouTube video below:
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