Highly stretchable electroluminescent skin for optical signaling and tactile sensing

Cephalopods such as octopuses have a combination of a stretchable skin and color-tuning organs to control both posture and color for visual communication and disguise. We present an electroluminescent material that is capable of large uniaxial stretching and surface area changes while actively emitt...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2016-03, Vol.351 (6277), p.1071-1074
Main Authors:	Larson, C., Peele, B., Li, S., Robinson, S., Totaro, M., Beccai, L., Mazzolai, B., Shepherd, R.
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Animals Aquatic life Elastic Modulus Elastomers - chemistry Electric Capacitance Electrodes Electrons Feedback, Sensory Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate Light Luminescence Marine mammals Octopodiformes Robotics Scientific Concepts Signaling Skin - chemistry Touch
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Summary:	Cephalopods such as octopuses have a combination of a stretchable skin and color-tuning organs to control both posture and color for visual communication and disguise. We present an electroluminescent material that is capable of large uniaxial stretching and surface area changes while actively emitting light. Layers of transparent hydrogel electrodes sandwich a ZnS phosphor-doped dielectric elastomer layer, creating thin rubber sheets that change illuminance and capacitance under deformation. Arrays of individually controllable pixels in thin rubber sheets were fabricated using replica molding and were subjected to stretching, folding, and rolling to demonstrate their use as stretchable displays. These sheets were then integrated into the skin of a soft robot, providing it with dynamic coloration and sensory feedback from external and internal stimuli.
ISSN:	0036-8075 1095-9203