The perceptual abilities to be aware of the state of the outside world are indispensable for all living things to keep on living. Humans gather information through the five senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. We use that information to recognize and understand the situation surrounding us with our superior intelligence. We then perform advanced actions and judgments. Looking at it comprehensively, the perceptual abilities of humans are probably among the best in the living world.However, if we focus on individual perceptual abilities, we find that there are many living things with abilities superior to those of humans. We are no match for the compound eyes of dragonflies when it comes to a sense of sight, whereby the movements of things are perceived in the surroundings. Furthermore, we can't compete with dogs in terms of our senses of hearing and smell. There are even living things that have the ability to capture information that cannot be detected by humans in the first place. Examples of these include migratory birds that determine their direction of flight by perceiving geomagnetism. If we stretch our imaginations further, there may even be perceptive abilities that capture information that living things in existence cannot detect.If we could acquire perception beyond the five senses of humans with the assistance of machines, how would it change our lives and society? We introduce trends in the development and utilization of technologies that realize the super-five senses.<h2>Extending Our Perceptual Abilities Utilizing Evolving Sensors and AI</h2>Sensors are electronic devices with the function to acquire information from the outside world. There are already a wide variety of sensors that can reproduce the five senses of humans. Image sensors, microphones, accelerometers, and temperature sensors are examples of those. There are also many sensors that have performance that exceeds the abilities of humans. For instance, there are infrared ray image sensors capable of detecting the existence of things in the dark. Furthermore, there are also sensors that can acquire information that cannot be detected by humans. Examples include geomagnetic sensors and CO2 sensors.Advances in sensor technologies have made it possible to realize the ability to gather information far beyond the abilities of humans. Nevertheless, even if the range of information we can obtain expands and diversifies, it does not mean it is possible to extend the perceptual abilities of humans. We cannot improve our perceptual abilities without also improving our ability to appropriately process the information we have collected at the same time.&nbsp;For example, facial recognition technology has come to be used for the personal verification of visitors when holding sports and other events. It has also become possible for visitors to gain admission to venues using a face pass without the need for a ticket by registering their image data in advance. Furthermore, in recent years, it has become possible to simultaneously recognize those who can enter and those who have not purchased a ticket by collectively recognizing images of crowds captured by cameras. This has made it possible to smoothly guide people into the venue without lines. In addition, technology has evolved to the point where it is possible to estimate the age and gender of visitors.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1696846836897-super5sense6-01.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">It can be said that such advanced perceptual abilities using machines are the super-five senses beyond the abilities of humans. However, in this example, the super-five senses have not been realized by an evolution in the performance of the sensors that collect the information; or, in other words, the performance of the cameras. The super-five senses have been realized by the evolution of the artificial intelligence (AI), which is utilized in the recognition processing of the acquired images.&nbsp;<h2>Detecting Machine Failures from Noises and Vibrations and Cancer from Exhaled Breath</h2>The advanced perceptual abilities of humans are realized by combining the detection abilities of the sensory organs like the eyes and ears and the cognitive abilities of the brain (Fig. 1). In a similar scheme, the super-five senses will be realized by advancing sensors and AI and then utilizing those technologies in combination. We would now like to introduce just a few examples from among those of the super-five senses already being put into practical use or under development.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1696846855213-super5sense6-02_en.png" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Fig. 1: The perceptual abilities of both humans and machines comprise a combination of detection (information gathering) and cognition (information processing) abilitiesThe super-five senses are already being utilized in many cases in the field of monozukuri. Some factories that produce industrial products employ experienced workers with the ability to sense signs of failure in devices. They do that by identifying the slightest abnormal sounds mixed in with the sounds of those devices operating. This is a personal skill acquired through experience over many years. It can be said that this is an advanced perceptual ability that regular people do not possess. However, high-precision accelerometers are nowadays being mounted to such devices. This has enabled the detection of signs of failure by utilizing AI from the slightest changes in the vibrations of those devices. Moreover, technologies are also being put into practical use that pinpoint the place where abnormal sounds are being emitted on images captured by cameras through catching the slightest abnormal sounds. This is an example of the realization of perceptual abilities not possessed by humans in terms of converting auditory information into visual information.The super-five senses are also starting to be utilized in the field of medicine. A variety of information that reflects the physical and health condition of humans is contained in the things we excrete from our bodies. One of those is the air we exhale when we breathe. It is known that exhaled breath contains components that indicate signs of cancer, appearing as a change in odor. Nevertheless, the change in odor is extremely slight. Accordingly, it is difficult to detect such a change with the human sense of smell. However, there are cases of specially trained dogs called "cancer detecting dogs" being used to detect cancer. That is because dogs have a superior sense of smell that can discern such a change. Many companies and research institutions are carrying out R&amp;D to mechanize this ability by combining a gas sensor that detects the components contained in exhaled breath with AI and other information processing systems. If such a function is installed on a smartphone where exhaled breath is blown during a phone call, it may be possible to achieve a state as though the user was undergoing cancer screening on a daily basis. In addition, attempts are also underway to analyze acetone contained in exhaled breath and to then utilize that analysis in lifestyle-related disease prevention, dieting, and other areas of health.<h2>HSI That Finds Valuable Information from Invisible Light</h2>Furthermore, technologies that acquire information that cannot be obtained from visible light are being developed and utilized. This is done by combining image sensors that detect light with wavelengths that cannot be detected by humans such as ultraviolet rays and infrared rays with AI and other advanced information processing technologies. This technology is called hyperspectral imaging.It may be possible to acquire unexpectedly high-added-value information depending on the method of processing the information obtained from visible light as well. For instance, the nutrient of lycopene contained in tomatoes absorbs blue and green light. Therefore, tomatoes that contain lots of lycopene have a bright red appearance. In other words, we can detect nutrients from color. We can acquire even more diverse information without contact by also applying techniques with similar principles to light other than visible light.For example, it is possible to identify or otherwise recognize the state of pollution in the land, atmosphere, and water and the types of trees growing on the surface from images taken with visible light and infrared rays from an artificial satellite. In addition, it is also possible to discover contamination by foreign substances or abnormal ingredients in food production lines and to evaluate the content of specific amino acids including oleic acid, which is an umami (savory) ingredient. We can also check the health condition of people based on changes in their complexion that cannot be detected by the human eye.There is still room for significant advances in both sensors and AI. As a result, it seems there are infinite possibilities for what kind of super-five senses humans will acquire in the future.<hr><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1696846884169-1696846884169.png" class="fr-fic fr-dii">If you have any questions based on this article that you would like to discuss with an expert at Murata, don't hesitate to reach out. There's an entire team ready to support you with your question.<a href="https://www.murata.com/en-eu/contactform?&Detail=Wevolver%20request" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" class="button-main-action">GET IN TOUCH</a>

Sensors are electronic devices with the function to acquire information from the outside world. There are already a wide variety of sensors that can reproduce the five senses of humans. Image sensors, microphones, accelerometers, and temperature sensors are examples of those.

Super-Five Senses Created by Combining and Utilizing Sensors and AI

Announcing TechBlick&#39;s&nbsp;open free-to-attend&nbsp;virtual conference and exhibition day on 2 DEC 2022 from 13:00 CET to 19:00 CET. The conference will offer the following two parallel tracks:<ul><li dir="ltr">Track 1: &nbsp;Printed, Flexible, Hybrid, 3D Electronics: Innovation Showcase Day</li><li dir="ltr">Track 2: Wearable Sensors and Therapeutics, E-Textiles, and Continuous Vital Signs Monitoring</li></ul>You can view the combined agenda&nbsp;and register free&nbsp;<a href="https://techblick-dot-yamm-track.appspot.com/2ISOs9hOMy2x8pbhQhl6KSSvgJLWIkOrG6xamhF4N_XNJc7g4hAHrTK3lmPs6viFvxTWpwv-ZckWPjtUPOAWzWbCua0Z6ORGl6JITifLNV7zXxNP6u2slSvhW_RP_2SY2c1JW8AOJI3cmvLbxsAYYVpfxKU3_2gHjvUnYyyQoFx3X0bYTw_lxzeKOy3sdQyPw0xfcZeUBrfUVgA" target="_blank">here.</a>&nbsp; It is a unique event with two-parallel live tracks, a live engaging exhibition floor, and 400+ attendees. &nbsp;The exhibiting companies include the likes of Voltera, Epishine, Dupont Teijin Films, DoMicro, Copprint, InnovationLab, NovaCentrix, PulseForge, Fujikura Kasei, ImageXpert, Panacol, Neotech AMT, Celanese, Applied Materials, Coatema, Sateco, IDS, Ames Goldsmith, Kimoto, Encres Dubuit, Raymor, Quad Industries, Ynvisible, Brilliant Matters, CondAlign, DTI, and many moreFull AgendaThe times below is Central European Times (CET) / Berlin time.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1668430736253-speakers+lpogos.jpg" style="width: 695px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">1:00pm &nbsp;ATT Advanced Thermal Technologies | How to keep Cameras, RADAR &amp; LiDAR Sensors free of Snow &amp; Ice by means of Printed Electronics &nbsp; 01:00pm&nbsp;&nbsp;DTI |&nbsp;Advance printed electronics and standardization within the smart wearables industry.01:15pm&nbsp;&nbsp;Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech) |&nbsp;Development of smart apparel for bio-signal measurement &nbsp;&nbsp;01:15pm&nbsp;&nbsp;VTT |&nbsp;Pilot factory for converting of next generation wearables towards high quality manufacturing processes &nbsp;&nbsp;01:30pm&nbsp;&nbsp;NexStem |&nbsp;Wearable Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) - Measuring Signals Beyond Patches &nbsp;&nbsp;01:30pm&nbsp;&nbsp;Silicon Austria |&nbsp;Advancements in hybrid flexible electronics towards ultra-fine pitch chip bonding &nbsp;&nbsp;01:45pm&nbsp;&nbsp;ISRA |&nbsp;Fab-as-a-Service: prototyping &amp; manufacturing of copper based printed electronics devices &nbsp;&nbsp;01:45pm CondAlign&nbsp;| (TBC)02.00pm &nbsp;Exhibition &amp; Networking Break &nbsp;&nbsp;02:45pm &nbsp;Encres DUBUIT | Transparent and conductive films based on nanocellulose.&nbsp;02:45pm &nbsp;Zimmer Peacock | Printed Wearable Sensors for Sports and Athletic Performance &nbsp;03:00pm &nbsp;Binder ITZ | Printed sensors on 3D surfaces &nbsp;&nbsp;03:00pm &nbsp;EastPrint | (TBC) Wearable Biosensors: Overview of Printing Techniques03:15pm&nbsp;&nbsp;FLEEP Technologies |&nbsp;PrintIC: integrated circuits can be printed! &nbsp;&nbsp;03:15pm&nbsp;&nbsp;X-trodes |&nbsp;Soft electrode array for skin electro-physiology: New opportunities in sleep studies and rehabilitation &nbsp;&nbsp;03:30pm&nbsp;&nbsp;EERS Global Technologies/ &Eacute;cole de technologie sup&eacute;rieure |&nbsp;(TBC) In-Ear Sensors To Measure Biometric Data and Brain Signals: Present and Future &nbsp;&nbsp;03:30pm&nbsp;&nbsp;Marquardt Group |&nbsp;Fully printed organic photo sensor to supervise display functionality &nbsp;&nbsp;03:45pm&nbsp;&nbsp;University of Chicago |&nbsp;Skin-like wearable electronics with artificial-intelligence computing &nbsp;&nbsp;03:45pm&nbsp;&nbsp;e2ip |&nbsp;(TBC) InMold Electronics: Achieving ultra complex shapes with molecular inks &nbsp;&nbsp;4.00pm &nbsp;Exhibition &amp; Networking Break &nbsp;&nbsp;04:55pm&nbsp;&nbsp;Georgia Institute of Technology |&nbsp;Soft Wearable Bioelectronics for Human Healthcare and Human-Machine Interfaces &nbsp;&nbsp;04:55pm&nbsp;&nbsp;Murata Manufacturing |&nbsp;Highly Conductive MXene for Electronics &nbsp;&nbsp;05:10pm&nbsp;&nbsp;NAMICS Technologies |&nbsp;Low temperature sintering nano silver paste &nbsp;&nbsp;05:10pm&nbsp;&nbsp;University of Texas |&nbsp;Graphene based electronic tattoo technologies for complex electrophysiology &nbsp;&nbsp;05:25pm&nbsp;&nbsp;Tampere University |&nbsp;Arterial Pulse Wave Monitoring: Self-Powered, Highly Unobtrusive, Low-Cost and Accurate &nbsp;&nbsp;05:25pm MacDermid&nbsp;| (TBC) Ultralow temperature solder and pastes for InMold Electronics and Flexible Hybrid Electronics05:40pm&nbsp;&nbsp;MesoMat |&nbsp;Stretchable piezo-resitive yarns for strain sensing in high deformation systems &nbsp;&nbsp;05:40pm&nbsp;&nbsp;NanoPrintek |&nbsp;Dry Multimaterial Printer: An Ink-less Technology with On-Demand Generation and Real-time Sintering of Pure Nanoparticles &nbsp;&nbsp;05:55pm&nbsp;&nbsp;Cardiomo Care |&nbsp;(TBC) Continous Non-Invastive ECG Monitoring: Hardware and Software &nbsp;&nbsp;05:55pm&nbsp;CPI | Flexible Electronics for HealthTech06.10pm &nbsp;Exhibition &amp; Networking Break &nbsp;&nbsp;06:45pm&nbsp;&nbsp;Theranica Bio Electronics |&nbsp;Remote Electrical Neuromodulation: Wearable Medical DevicesYou can view the combined agenda and register free&nbsp;<a href="https://techblick-dot-yamm-track.appspot.com/2ISOs9hOMy2x8pbhQhl6KSSvgJLWIkOrG6xamhF4N_XNJc7g4hAHrTK3lmPs6viFvxTWpwv-ZckWPjtUPOAWzWbCua0Z6ORGl6JITifLNV7zXxNP6u2slSvhW_RP_2SY2c1JW8AOJI3cmvLbxsAYYVpfxKU3_2gHjvUnYyyQoFx3X0bYTw_lxzeKOy3sdQyPw0xfcZeUBrfUVgA" target="_blank">here.</a>&nbsp;

Announcing TechBlick's free-to-attend virtual conference and exhibition covering innovations in Wearable Sensors | E-Textiles | Printed Electronics & Beyond. It is a unique event with two-parallel live tracks, a live engaging exhibition floor, and 400+ attendees. See details & registration link here

Innovations: Wearable Sensors, E-Textiles, Printed Flexible Electronics

<a data-attribute-index="0" data-entity-hovercard-id="urn:li:fs_miniProfile:ACoAAAFeVQkBW6afBYfUUh_JYbfniwGE2Y7yljQ" data-entity-type="MINI_PROFILE" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAFeVQkBW6afBYfUUh_JYbfniwGE2Y7yljQ" id="isPasted" target="_blank">Daniel Haefliger</a> from&nbsp;<a data-attribute-index="2" data-entity-hovercard-id="urn:li:fs_miniCompany:3072981" data-entity-type="MINI_COMPANY" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/sateco-ag/" target="_blank">Sateco Group</a> presents its non-printed technology based on multilayers of moulded conductive silicone. &nbsp; This is a unique technology. The sensor typically has a size of 10-40mm with a thickness of &gt;3mm. It can measure forces in the range of 10-100 N with a resolution of around 0.1 N. The sensor can follow the direction of applied force for some 1mm.&nbsp; Interestingly, the exact behaviour of the sensor can be designed and adjusted by controlling the spaces between the layers to suit specific application requirements.&nbsp; The technology is reliable. It is shown that at room temperature, it experiences only 5% driff when subjected to 5,000,000 cycles of 20N force. It experiences only 20% drift over full scale when subjected to 100k cycles of 20N force at much harsher conditions&nbsp;(T range: -40 - 85C | RH: 0-90%) In clip from Daniel&#39;s full presentation given at&nbsp;<a data-attribute-index="4" data-entity-hovercard-id="urn:li:fs_miniCompany:71510477" data-entity-type="MINI_COMPANY" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/techblick/" target="_blank">TechBlick</a> in March 2022, you learn about some unique applications of this technology, including: 1- Collaborative robots: these robots work alongside or in close proximity to humans. They are not caged as are typically industrial robots. As such, they require integrated soft 3D sensors to measure proximity as well as impact. This Sateco technology is uniquely suited to this application. 2- Smart steering wheel: the moulded silicone force sensor technology can be integrated within the centre of the steering wheel.&nbsp;They provide soft touch input and still enable the airbag to be deployed. 3- Wearable devices: in this example, developed with&nbsp;<a data-attribute-index="6" data-entity-hovercard-id="urn:li:fs_miniCompany:1576237" data-entity-type="MINI_COMPANY" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/fraunhofer-iao/" target="_blank">Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO</a>, they show how the sensor can be integrated into pagbacks to measure the load that children bear when carrying their bags Join us on 12-13 OCT 2022 to learn more about this super exciting technology and how it can enable 3D soft touch and force sensors &nbsp;<a href="https://www.techblick.com/" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.techblick.com/</a>Application Info in the Video<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/737506180" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" style="width: 727px; height: 437px;"></iframe> Technical Info in the Images Below <img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1659976672664-1.png" style="width: 556px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1659976685332-2.png" style="width: 523px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1659976696777-3.png" style="width: 550px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1659976709296-4.png" style="width: 576px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1659976725317-5.png" style="width: 590px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> Meet the Sateco team at TechBlick in Eindhoven on 11-13 OCT 2022<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1659976795489-1.emil-banner-v1+%281%29.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">

Technology for creating 3D force and proximity sensors based on silicone, offering also the ability to customize shape and characteristcs.  Key application is in collaborative robots



3D-shaped mechanically-compliant soft force, pressure, or proximity sensor with ease of integration and good reliability data?

In this episode, we talk about how a group of University of Michigan researchers were inspired by the adaptive immune system found in humans to fortify vulnerable neural networks and a joint effort between Pohang University of Science and Technology and Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology to create electric skin with unmatched performance. As always, you can find these and other interesting &amp; impactful engineering articles on Wevolver.com.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/43d45afd-8dcf-45ad-abb4-02c30cff4eb6?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe> <hr>This podcast is sponsored by <a href="https://www2.mouser.com/" id="isPasted" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mouser Electronics</a>. &nbsp; &nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1648558505214-Mouser-sponsor-1-a.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><hr><h3 id="isPasted">EPISODE NOTES</h3>(2:08) -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/immune-to-hacks-inoculating-deep-neural-networks-to-thwart-attacks" target="_blank">Immune To Hacks</a>(12:50) - <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/a-spectrum-of-spikes-allows-this-novel-electronic-skin-to-sense-touch-like-we-do" target="_blank">Electronics Sense Touch</a><hr id="isPasted">About the podcast:Every day, some of the most innovative universities, companies, and individual technology developers share their knowledge on Wevolver. To ensure we can also provide this knowledge for the growing group of podcast listeners, we started a collaboration with two young engineers, Daniel Scott Mitchell &amp; Farbod Moghaddam who discuss the most interesting content in this podcast series.&nbsp;To learn more about this show, please visit the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" target="_blank">shows page</a>. By following the page, you will get automatic updates by email when a new show is published.Be sure to give us a follow and review on&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/nl/podcast/the-next-byte/id1548255861?l=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple</a> podcasts,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6lPPsRtegnivsRUEsQ09R7?si=IPMiah7xT_apJtPjqvXMlA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spotify</a>, and most of your favorite podcast platforms!

Two prototype position-encoded spike spectrum (PESS) sensors, one showing its ability to flex and confirm to non-linear surfaces, have been proven experimentally.

In this episode, we talk about how a group of researchers were inspired by the adaptive immune system found in humans to fortify vulnerable neural networks and a joint effort between universities to create electric skin with unmatched performance.

Podcast: Immune System Inspired AI & Electric Skin

This article was discussed in our <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte&source=gmail&ust=1648450959370000&usg=AOvVaw3quhsJUxQ1lZ0LmFmeQflQ" href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Next Byte podcast</a>.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/43d45afd-8dcf-45ad-abb4-02c30cff4eb6?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe>The full article will continue below.<hr>Electronic skin, which weaves technology into a flexible and stretchable substrate designed to mimic human skin, offers potential for everything from highly-dexterous robotics to sensory-feedback prosthetics, health monitoring, medical implants, haptics, and more. Current implementations, however, often suffer from high power draw and slow response times.A new approach, based on what a team of researchers at the Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) and the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) has termed position-encoded spike spectrum (PESS), could change that &mdash; offering a high-resolution, high-sensitivity artificial tactile system which manages to also be easy to manufacture at scale.<h1>Spiking sensors</h1>The concept is borrowed from biology: The human somatosensory system offers event-driven spike generation, with parallel processing allowing sensations to be felt without delay. While rival approaches aimed at mimicking the same process electronically exist, they center around analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) which limit their resolution and add bulk.What first author Taeyeong Kim and colleagues have developed, by contrast, is a sensory system offering much the same capabilities as the human sense of touch. A mixed ion-electron conductor (MIEC) hosts artificial receptors designed with varying ion relaxation times &mdash; turning touch into a spectrum of spike signals, rather than a single reading.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQ4MjMzMzc1MjUxLWVza2luMi5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="A diagram showing a position-encoded spike spectrum (PESS) electronic skin sensor, attached to the surface of a human thumb. As the thumb grasps a pencil, a spike spectrum is created - split into characteristic spikes, which offer position information, and auxiliary spikes, which capture pressure.">The PESS sensor system captures both position and pressure by encoding information into a spectrum of spikes which are rapidly decoded and identified.This spike spectrum is key to the responsiveness of the system itself: The relaxation time of each spike can be decoded in real time, its creators claim, to identify exactly where and how the skin is being touched. The overall delay was measured at of 2ms for the auxiliary spikes, which carry pressure information, and 10ms for the characteristic spikes, which offer position.At the same time, the sensor system is surprisingly simple. The prototype was produced using a combination of the MIEC film and PEDOT:PSS as a conducting polymer, applied via spray coating through a patterned stencil mask &mdash; each hole in the mask corresponding to an individual receptor. Layers of silver and gold act as electrodes in the system.<h1>Touchable proof</h1>To prove the concept, the team created a compact prototype measuring 2&times;2cm (around 0.8&times;0.8&quot;) and featuring an impressive 529 individual receptors. Despite this, it required only two signal addressing lines &mdash; a major advantage, its creators claim, over alternatives which rely on time-division multiple access (TMDA) addressing, and a closer analog to the highly-parallel human somatosensory system.As the prototype was touched, the resulting spikes were analyzed by a decoding algorithm in just 2ms. The algorithm, in turn, offers inferred tactile information based on analysis of the characteristic and auxiliary spikes: Position, size, rough shape, and even pressure down to 1.5kPa, all reported with high accuracy.<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gq0xN2U1HDY?&wmode=opaque&rel=0&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://www.wevolver.com" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe> In further testing, the team showcased the skin&rsquo;s ability to detect two-dimensional movement, in the form of sensing letters drawn on its surface, and of providing real-time feedback when applied to a robot arm. In these tests, the robot arm was given the task of grasping a metal sphere, rotating, allowing the ball to fall to the bottom of the grip, then shaking it repeatedly &mdash; detecting slippage through the PESS system and tightening its grip instantly in order to prevent the ball from being dropped.<h1>Further work</h1>There&rsquo;s the potential for improvement, too. The team suggests that the application of &ldquo;machine learning-based decoding&rdquo; could allow the PESS system to determine more complicated shapes than is possible using the existing algorithm, while experimental results suggest the possibility of extending the system to omni-directional tactile perception.&ldquo;Converting the external stimuli into spike signals and processing them is a groundbreaking idea that mimics how the human nervous system processes information,&rdquo; says Sung-Phil Kim, UNIST professor and co-corresponding author of the paper detailing the breakthrough.&ldquo;If a new AI model is developed using this spike information encoding method, robot tactile intelligence can be further developed and effectively applied to next-generation semiconductor technologies such as neuromorphic chips.&rdquo;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQ4MjMzMzkxODYyLWVza2luMy5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="A diagram showing the prototype sensor, and the layers from which it is manufactured. From top to bottom: PET, Au, artificial receptors, PET separator, adhesive, Au, Ag/SBS, and silicone elastomer.">The PESS sensors are relatively simple to produce, though work still needs to be done on reliably controlling the thickness of the PEDOT:PSS layer.A sensor variant which integrates four separate sensing systems into a single device, meanwhile, boosts the stationary spatial resolution to 80 receptors per square centimeter (80/cm2) and for dynamic sensing to 132/cm2 &mdash; a figure which the team suggests could be increased still further with improvements to measurement equipment and the sensor&rsquo;s stencil layer.One issue standing in the way of production use, however, is in creating a PEDOT:PSS layer of reliable and repeatable thickness. &ldquo;Unfortunately,&rdquo; the team admits, &ldquo;delicate thickness control of the PEDOT:PSS coating on the target positions for the characteristic receptors was not achieved yet in this study.&rdquo;The team&rsquo;s work has been published in the journal <cite><a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.abl5761" target="_blank">Science Robotics</a></cite> under closed-access terms.<h1>Reference</h1>Taeyeong Kim, Jaehun Kim, Insang You, Joosung Oh, Sung-Phil Kim, and Unyong Jeong: <cite>Dynamic tactility by position-encoded spike spectrum, Science Robotics Vol. 7 Iss. 63</cite>. DOI <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.abl5761" target="_blank">10.1126/scirobotics.abl5761</a>.

Using a highly-scalable approach to creating dense sensor networks, yet requiring only a pair of address lines, these researchers have taken inspiration from the human somatosensory system for a rapid-response sensitive sense of electronic touch.

A spectrum of spikes allows this novel electronic skin to sense touch like we do

Mark R. Cutkosky is the Fletcher Jones Professor in the Dept. of Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University. He joined Stanford in 1985, after working in the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University and as a design engineer at ALCOA, in Pittsburgh, PA. He received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in 1985.Cutkosky’s research activities include robotic manipulation and tactile sensing and the design and fabrication of biologically inspired robots. He has graduated 48 Ph.D. students and published extensively in these areas. He consults with companies on robotics and human/computer interaction devices and holds several patents on related technologies. His work has been featured in Discover Magazine, The New York Times, National Geographic, Time Magazine and other publications and has appeared on PBS NOVA, CBS Evening News, and other popular media.Cutkosky’s awards include a Fulbright Faculty Chair (Italy 2002), Fletcher Jones and Charles M. Pigott Chairs at Stanford University, an NSF Presidential Young Investigator award and Times Magazine Best Innovations (2006) for the Stickybot gecko-inspired robot. He is a fellow of ASME and IEEE and a member of Sigma Xi.<h1 dir="ltr">Soft Robotics With Mark Cutkosky&nbsp;</h1>Marwa ElDiwiny, host of the Soft Robotics podcast, interviews Mark about his work in soft robotics.<iframe src="https://open.spotify.com/embed-podcast/episode/6237w6uZUttAH7nW4lhAPf" width="100%" height="232" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" class="fr-draggable"></iframe>

Cutkosky applies analyses, simulations, and experiments to the design and control of robotic hands, tactile sensors, and devices for human/computer interaction. In manufacturing, his work focuses on design tools for rapid prototyping.

Soft Robotics With Mark Cutkosky "Gecko Climbing Robots"

The ability to integrate location and movement sensors with wireless technology in sports equipment is revolutionizing the way athletic performance can be monitored, analyzed and improved.<h2>Smart sports equipment</h2>Small-sized wireless sports tracking solutions with long battery life now enable previously impossible integration. Balls, bats, pucks, boots, helmets, and other gear play host to compact wireless tech without affecting the characteristics or performance of the equipment. In a world where “marginal gains” make the difference between winning and losing, wireless sports tracking is now mandatory. That goes some way to explaining why the industry is proving so lucrative; industry analyst Grand View Research expects the sector to register a CAGR of 20.3 percent from 2018 (when it was valued at $9.8 billion) up to 2025.Today’s built-in sensors or technology track the precise location and movement of the sports equipment in action, analyze the data and then forward it via a short-range wireless link to an accompanying app on the user’s smartphone or a web-based dashboard on their laptop.One example is pitchLogic, a baseball with a ‘brain’ that tracks its position and movement to provide critical data about each pitch. Developed by sports technology start-up, F5 Sports, the Bluetooth LE-enabled smart ball uses built-in sensors and complex proprietary algorithms to analyze the pitch in mid-air, taking approximately 75,000 measurements as the ball travels. Clay Holmes, a pitcher for Major League Baseball (MLB) team the Pittsburgh Pirates, has credited the unique data and insights provided by the pitchLogic system with helping him to discover the optimal body and arm slot positions for successful pitches, particularly in relation to his renowned ‘sinker’, a type of fastball characterized by significant downward and horizontal movement.<h2>Advanced sports training wearable</h2>Wireless tech isn’t only helping improve ball game skills. German researchers at the <a href="https://www.sport.tu-dortmund.de/sport/index.php" rel="noopener" target="_blank">TU Dortmund’s Institute for Sport and Sport Science</a> (including Dr. Marcus Schmidt, Researcher Institute for Sport and Sport Science, and Prof. Dr. Thomas Jaitner, TU Dortmund), in conjunction with Kaiserslautern-based tech developer <a href="https://www.wille-engineering.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Wille Engineering</a>, for example, have launched the <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-60639-2_1" rel="noopener" target="_blank">SpoSeNs 2.0 Professional Wearable</a>, a lightweight, ankle-worn device for reliable and accurate analysis of an athlete’s movement and biomechanical parameters.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNTkzMDA5OTY4Mzg4LTEyNDE1MTE2MS5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">In comparison to a regular fitness wearable, SpoSeNs 2.0 is designed to provide greater precision and more comprehensive data to enhance sports training and competitive performance. The solution can be used to collect and analyze detailed sprint, jump and hurdle metrics/insights which previously required complex and often expensive system installations—including light barriers, force plates, or video cameras—as well as frequent recalibration. For example, the platform’s proprietary step-detection algorithm determines the athlete’s ground contact time or step frequency in real-time.“In professional training and competition, every millisecond counts,” says Sebastian Wille, Founder of Wille Engineering. “In sprint and hurdle disciplines, for example, the athlete needs to know the point in a race when they start to fatigue, and real-time feedback is crucial to ensure suitable adaptions can be made during conditioning training.“SpoSeNs 2.0 is a universal solution for various sports applications; new use cases could be found in different sports including volleyball, beach volleyball, badminton, boxing, and horse riding,” Wille says.<h2>Nordic power</h2>The SpoSeNs 2.0 Professional Wearable is built round Nordic Semiconductor’s nRF52840 advanced multiprotocol SoC. In addition to the SoC, the product comprises a sensor node, a nine-axis IMU, and a separate three-axis, high-G accelerometer. Supported by the SoC’s powerful microprocessor and large memory, SpoSeNs 2.0 records the wearer’s movement data then processes the raw data in ‘real-time’. Using the SoC-enabled low latency Bluetooth LE connectivity, the data is then sent to a paired smartphone or tablet. The trainer can access live performance information and graphic-based analytics directly through an associated Android app.<h2>The future of sports tracking</h2>“Technologies like SpoSeNs 2.0 can take sports training and therefore performance for professional athletes to a new level,” Wille says. “At the same time, it’s also entirely possible for such a system to be used by all classes of athletes.”He’s right. ‘Smart’ sports equipment and wearables have the potential to hugely impact the future of sports tracking and performance analytics for all. And OEMs in this space will be able to boost their bottom lines just as competitors raise their aspirations.When just about every performance metric imaginable can be accurately tracked using a commercially viable, cost-effective, and readily available wireless tech solution, skills, techniques, and ultimately the performance levels of millions of athletes around the world will improve. Thanks to wireless tech, perfect practice could soon be standard practice.<hr>This article was first published on Nordic's&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Get Connected Blog</a>.

The ability to integrate location and movement sensors with wireless technology in sports equipment is revolutionizing the way athletic performance can be monitored, analyzed and improved.

Wireless solutions take sports tracking to new level

Flexible electronics isn&rsquo;t a new technology, but it has achieved a remarkable progress over the past years and has become increasingly important to many sectors such as consumer electronics, automotive, retail and healthcare. <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/idtechex-global-research-report-on-flexible-printed-and-organic-electronics-2019-2029-forecasts-players--opportunities-300799688.html" target="_blank">IDTechEx analysts forecast</a> that the total market for printed, flexible and organic electronics will grow from $31.7 billion in 2018 to $77.3 billion in 2029.&nbsp;Flexible electronics is a technology that allows you to build electronic circuits on flexible substrates thus making them bendable and stretchable. It enables new product paradigms that aren&rsquo;t possible with conventional semiconductors and glass substrates. Here we explore some of the attributes of flexible electronics that make this tech attractive to product designers and consumers alike.<h2>Flexible</h2>Transistors can be made from either inorganic or organic materials, or a mix of both. FlexEnable fabricates transistors using organic materials which replace the silicon and hard ceramic materials with soft, carbon-based materials. The organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) we use are known as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flexenable.com/services/otft-materials/" target="_blank" title="FlexiOM™">FlexiOM&trade;</a> - they are inherently flexible and have greater performance than amorphous silicon. These high-performance OTFTs can be processed at temperatures lower than 100&deg;C allowing for the use of&nbsp;lower cost thin film substrates thus enabling flexible devices.While flexible electronics have many applications, at FlexEnable we are primarily focused on flexible displays. Yet, our flexible OTFT platform can drive&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flexenable.com/technology/flexible-sensor-arrays/" target="_blank">flexible sensors</a> and other flexible devices. This platform has enabled the development of <a href="https://www.flexenable.com/technology/flexible-olcd/" target="_blank">flexible organic LCD</a>s&nbsp;(OLCDs) that can bend down to 10mm and be scaled to large areas making them suitable for a range of applications including automotive, consumer electronics, smart home appliances and digital signage.<h2>Light and thin</h2>Display thickness and weight are especially important features for applications that require large area displays such as automotive and digital signage. Using a flexible substrate (instead of glass) in combination with organic transistors helps make the whole stack very thin. For example at FlexEnable we use low-cost bio-based substrates such as TAC (tri acetyl cellulose) which are just a fraction of a tenth of a millimetre thick. As a result the entire OLCD is just 0.3mm thick (without the backlight). Moreover, the thinness and flexibility of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flexenable.com/newsroom/breakthrough-in-glass-free-olcd-technology-enables-bezel-less-displays-for-notebooks/" target="_blank">OLCD enables bezel-less displays</a> through curved edges and folded borders. This brings huge value in applications like notebooks and tablets where borderless means bigger displays for the same sized device. <a href="https://www.flexenable.com/Blog/why-certain-plastic-substrates-are-an-ideal-alternative-to-glass-for-lcd/" target="_blank">The extreme thinness of TAC substrates also brings optical advantages to OLCD.</a><h2>Unbreakable</h2>One property of flexible electronics which deserves to be highlighted is their robustness. This makes a great difference for applications such as wearables, notebooks and other consumer electronics which traditionally feature glass-based displays or sensors. Incorporating an unbreakable, glass-free active matrix display could become a unique selling point for consumers.<h2>Cost advantage</h2>The processes and materials for manufacturing flexible electronics differ, but the aim is to make them lower cost than conventional electronics. <a href="https://www.flexenable.com/blog/enabling-flexible-electronics-from-the-roll/" target="_blank">Roll to roll printing</a> has been long considered the ultimate approach to the cost-effective manufacture of electronics over large and small areas. It will remove the waste of materials currently incurred in factories and will drive product costs down. However, there are a few steps to overcome before roll to roll printing becomes the norm.At FlexEnable we have developed a practical approach to the cost-effective manufacture of flexible electronics for flexible displays and sensors. Our processes are compatible with existing flat panel display lines meaning that all of the existing equipment can be reused. A maximum processing temperature below 100&deg;C allows for the use of&nbsp;lower cost flexible substrates (e.g. TAC) and minimises&nbsp;distortion (improves yield), whilst enabling a low cost, high yield method of handling flexible substrates.<h2>Innovation</h2>For brands and designers to keep innovating and developing next generation products, they need tools and components that will enable them to do this. Flexible electronics allow the development of flexible components such as flexible displays and sensors which remove form factor constraints and give designers creative freedom. A typical example is the automotive industry where designers are already thinking outside the box by reinventing the car interior with the help of flexible displays. French company Novares, for example, has demonstrated how flexible display technology can help improve design and safety by integrating conformable OLCDs supplied by FlexEnable&nbsp;into the interior of their demo car&nbsp;<a href="https://www.novaresteam.com/our-solutions/novacar-2-an-open-innovation-lab/" target="_blank">Nova Car 2</a>.

Flexible electronics isn’t a new technology, but it has achieved a remarkable progress over the past years and has become increasingly important to many sectors such as consumer electronics, automotive, retail and healthcare.

Five benefits of flexible electronics for displays and sensors

Infrared spectroscopy is the benchmark method for detecting and analyzing organic compounds. But it requires complicated procedures and large, expensive instruments, making device miniaturization challenging and hindering its use for some industrial and medical applications and for data collection out in the field, such as for measuring pollutant concentrations. Furthermore, it is fundamentally limited by low sensitivities and therefore requires large sample amounts.However, scientists at EPFL&rsquo;s School of Engineering and at Australian National University (ANU) have developed a compact and sensitive nanophotonic system that can identify a molecule&rsquo;s absorption characteristics without using conventional spectrometry. The scientists have already used their system to detect polymers, pesticides and organic compounds. What&rsquo;s more, it is compatible with CMOS technology.Their system consists of an engineered surface covered with hundreds of tiny sensors called metapixels, which can generate a distinct bar code for every molecule that the surface comes into contact with. These bar codes can be massively analyzed and classified using advanced pattern recognition and sorting technology such as artificial neural networks. This research &ndash; which sits at the crossroads of physics, nanotechnology and big data &ndash; has been published in&nbsp;Science.Translating molecules into bar codes The chemical bonds in organic molecules each have a specific orientation and vibrational mode. It influences the way molecules absorb light, giving each one a unique &ldquo;signature.&rdquo; Infrared spectroscopy detects whether a given molecule is present in a sample by seeing if the sample absorbs light rays at the molecule&rsquo;s signature frequencies. However, such analyses require lab instruments with a hefty size and price tag.The pioneering system developed by the EPFL scientists is both highly sensitive and capable of being miniaturized; it uses nanostructures that can trap light on the nanoscale and thereby provide very high detection levels for samples on the surface. &ldquo;The molecules we want to detect are nanometric in scale, so bridging this size gap is an essential step,&rdquo; says Hatice Altug, head of EPFL&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://bios.epfl.ch/" target="_blank">BioNanoPhotonic Systems Laboratory</a> and a coauthor of the study.The system&rsquo;s nanostructures are grouped into what are called metapixels so that each one resonates at a different frequency. When a molecule comes into contact with the surface, the way the molecule absorbs light changes the behavior of all the metapixels it touches.&ldquo;Importantly, the metapixels are arranged in such a way that different vibrational frequencies are mapped to different areas on the surface,&rdquo; says Andreas Tittl, lead author of the study.This creates a pixelated map of light absorption that can be translated into a molecular bar code &ndash; all without using a spectrometer.&ldquo;Thanks to our sensors&rsquo; unique optical properties, we can generate bar codes even with broadband light sources and detectors,&rdquo; says Aleksandrs Leitis, a coauthor of the study.There are a number of potential applications for this new system. &ldquo;For instance, it could be used to make portable medical testing devices that generate bar codes for each of the biomarkers found in a blood sample,&rdquo; says Dragomir Neshev, another coauthor of the study.Artificial intelligence could be used in conjunction with this new technology to create and process a whole library of molecular bar codes for compounds ranging from protein and DNA to pesticides and polymers. That would give researchers a new tool for quickly and accurately spotting miniscule amounts of compounds present in complex samples.

A new system developed at EPFL can detect and analyze molecules with very high precision and without needing bulky equipment. It opens the door to large-scale, image-based detection of materials aided by artificial intelligence. The research has been published in Science.

Infrared spectroscopy is the benchmark method for detecting and analyzing organic compounds.

A nanotech sensor turns molecular fingerprints into bar codes

Disruptive Technologies-Fri Jun 30 2023 23:59:59 GMT+0200 (Central European Summer Time)

Disruptive Technologies-Mon Jul 31 2023 23:59:59 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Disruptive Technologies-Thu Aug 31 2023 23:59:59 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Disruptive Technologies-Thu Aug 31 2023 23:59:59 GMT+0200 (Central European Summer Time)

Disruptive Technologies-Sat Sep 30 2023 23:59:59 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Intrinsic ID-Fri Jun 30 2023 23:59:59 GMT+0200 (Central European Summer Time)

Intrinsic ID-Mon Jul 31 2023 23:59:59 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Intrinsic ID-Thu Aug 31 2023 23:59:59 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Intrinsic ID-Thu Aug 31 2023 23:59:59 GMT+0200 (Central European Summer Time)

Intrinsic ID-Sat Sep 30 2023 23:59:59 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Edge Impulse-Fri Jun 30 2023 23:59:59 GMT+0200 (Central European Summer Time)

Edge Impulse-Mon Jul 31 2023 23:59:59 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Edge Impulse-Thu Aug 31 2023 23:59:59 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Edge Impulse-Thu Aug 31 2023 23:59:59 GMT+0200 (Central European Summer Time)

Edge Impulse-Sat Sep 30 2023 23:59:59 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Edge Impulse-Mon Oct 30 2023 14:34:39 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Edge Impulse-Tue Oct 31 2023 23:59:59 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Jiga

RE2 Robotics

Arduino Pro-Fri Jun 30 2023 23:59:59 GMT+0200 (Central European Summer Time)

Arduino Pro-Mon Jul 31 2023 23:59:59 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Arduino Pro-Thu Aug 31 2023 23:59:59 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Arduino Pro-Thu Aug 31 2023 23:59:59 GMT+0200 (Central European Summer Time)

Arduino Pro-Sat Sep 30 2023 23:59:59 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Movella

The Next Byte

tactile sensors

tactile sensors

Profiles