[2012, Press released in korean media outlets : Chosun, YTN, etc]

(본문내용)

무당벌레 기어가는 느낌까지 감지…

인간 피부 맞먹는 촉감센서 개발

서울대 서갑양 교수팀 사람 피부처럼 당기고 비트는 자극을 구분할 수 있는 촉감(觸感) 센서를 국내 연구진이 개발했다. 이 센서는 로봇이나 의료용 기기 등에 폭넓게 쓰일 것으로 기대된다.

서울대 기계항공공학부 서갑양 교수와 방창현 박사는 6일 “피부로 느낄 수 있는 작은 힘의 200분의 1까지 감지하는 촉감센서를 개발했다”며 “센서는 표면에 작은 물방울이 부딪혔다 튀거나 작은 무당벌레가 기어가는 느낌까지 알아낸다”고 밝혔다. 기존 촉감 센서는 자극의 세기만 알아내지만, 이 센서는 사람 피부처럼 위에서 누르거나 옆에서 당기고 비트는 3가지를 모두 구분할 수 있는 것이 특징이다. 연구결과는 지난달 29일자 ‘네이처 머티리얼즈’ 인터넷판에 실렸다.

아이디어는 딱정벌레에서 나왔다. 딱정벌레가 날개를 접으면 표면에 나있는 미세(微細) 털들이 서로 맞물려 옆에서 잡아당겨도 떨어지지 않는다. 전기적으로 중성인 분자들이 아주 가까운 거리에 있을 때 서로를 잡아당기는 힘이 작용하기 때문이다. 센서는 잘 휘는 고분자 막에 굵기가 머리카락의 1000분의 1인 미세한 털이 촘촘히 나있는 모양이다. 딱정벌레가 날개를 접은 것처럼 두 고분자 막을 붙이면 그 사이 미세 털들이 맞물린다. 털 표면은 전기가 흐르는 금속으로 코팅했다. 고분자 막에 가해지는 자극에 따라 맞물린 털의 모양이 바뀌면 전기 흐름도 달라져 자극의 종류를 구분할 수 있다.

연구진은 촉감 센서를 팔목에 붙여 맥박을 재는 데 성공했다. 의료기기 업체와 심장 모니터 센서로 개발하기 위한 논의도 진행 중이다

기사 바로가기

Chosun-> http://biz.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/08/06/2012080602282.html

관련 기사

Mbn -> http://mbn.mk.co.kr/pages/news/newsView.php?news_seq_no=1223127

EBS -> http://news.ebs.co.kr/ebsnews/sub_0200_news_view.jsp?news_id=EN3116799

연합뉴스-> http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=105&oid=001&aid=0005741474

[2012, Press released - cover page of a number of USA & UK Presses]

Our article “A Flexible and Highly Sensitive Strain Gauge Sensor using Reversible Interlocking of Nanofibers (Pang et al), ” was featured in cover page of a number of USA & UK Presses.

Next Generation: Ciliated Sensor (TheScientist) By Sabrina Richards | July 30, 2012

See the article: http://the-scientist.com/2012/07/30/next-generation-ciliated-sensor

What’s New: It’s not a one-sensation device: like the skin, the new sensor can detect multiple types of mechanical disturbance. “It is nice that their device is capable of sensing shear and torsion, which are difficult for most other sensors,” Zhenan Bao (Standford) of Stanford University, who did not participate in the research, wrote in an email. The interlocking nanofiber sensor can also detect pressure, while exhibiting high sensitivity compared to other types of sensors, said Suh.

Hairy solution to making sensitive artificial skin (physicsworld.com) by Tim Wogan | July 30, 2012

See the article: http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/2012/jul/30/hairy-solution-to-making-sensitive-artificial-skin

John Rogers (UIUC) is impressed by the researchers’ design. “It represents a clever way to combine materials, mechanics and structure layouts for a class of tactile sensor technology that has exceptional performance and the ability to integrate naturally with the surface of the skin,” he says. He is sceptical, however, about the researchers’ claim to have removed the need for complex electronic circuitry. “If one is interested in real, multifunctional artificial skin, then you need a lot more and different stuff, such as different sensors, electronic amplifiers and multiplexers. The need for and benefits of active electronics do not go away,” he adds.

Hairy solution to making sensitive artificial skin (nanotechweb.org) by Tim Wogan | July 30, 2012

See the article: http://nanotechweb.org/cws/article/tech/50415

[The others]

IEEE SPECTRUM inside techonology

CHEMISTRYWORLD RSC

The Escapist Magazine

FUTURE of TECH on NBCNEWS

SMARTPLANET

NewScientist

CRAZYENGINEERS

O&P EDGE.com

NAFIGATE , etc.

[2012, Front Page of Nature.com 30/07/2012 and News & View]

Our Article on Nature materials posted on Nature dot com as first Page 30 July 2012

In addition, my article has been introduced as Nature News by Katherine Bourzac

(C. Pang, G.-Y. Lee, T.-I Kim, S. M. Kim, H. N. Kim, S.-H. Ahn, and K.-Y. Suh, “A Flexible and Highly Sensitive Strain Gauge

Sensor using Reversible Interlocking of Nanofibers” Nature Materials on line published )

Electronic sensor rivals sensitivity of human skin

Devices inspired by beetle wings could give robots a more nuanced sense of touch.

A flexible electronic sensor made from interlocking hairs can detect the gentle steps of a ladybird and distinguish between shear and twisting forces, just as human skin can. It can also be strapped to the wrist and used as a heart-rate monitor. The sensor's design, described today in Nature Materials (Pang et al), was inspired by beetle wing-locking structures, says Kahp-Yang Suh, an engineer at Seoul National University.

Human skin can distinguish between these types of strain, but most artificial sensors cannot. “Sensing shear and torsion is difficult,” says Zhenan Bao, a materials scientist at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, who is developing other flexible strain sensors. Other sensors detect only the total applied force, they can't say anything about its direction, says Suh.

http://www.nature.com/news/electronic-sensor-rivals-sensitivity-of-human-skin-1.11081

[Highlighting Best Research from the Nature Asia-Pacific]

(http://www.natureasia.com/en/research/highlight/7456/)