Research Projects

This project aims to develop flexible piezo-resistive strain sensors using graphene nanostructures for soft robotics applications. These sensors will be attached to prosthetic hands to detect various human finger motion gestures, potentially revolutionizing the human-machine interfacial system. The sensors will relay physical stimuli to the electronics embedded on the artificial prosthetic hand, allowing for simultaneous detection of multiple sensing parameters such as touch, force, and pressure. The project will focus on fabrication of flexible strain sensors using graphene nanostructures as an active material, using low-cost manufacturing and digital technology. The developed flexible strain sensors could revolutionize healthcare systems by providing proper instructions to patients affected by highly contagious viruses like COVID-19 through robots. They could also be implemented for patients with Parkinson's disease and disabled persons. The project will use simple, scalable, and economic processing techniques such as low temperature solvothermal method, ultrasonic dispersion, hydrothermal method, and spin-coating. Graphene ribbons will be patterned and transferred onto flexible PDMS substrate to improve sensitivity, and Ag-NW will be used to increase conductivity. The sensors will be used to detect hand gesture motion, with voltage levels adjusted based on the analog-to-digital converter input range. Five sensors will be used on each finger, and the impact of temperature and non-linearity of the sensor will be controlled by a suitable algorithm programmed in system-on-a-chip (SoC). The captured motion will be translated to an emulator to recreate similar motion.