Flexible skin with microactuators
ESR8
Objectives
Tactile feedback in robotics, prosthetics and rehabilitation is needed to transfer the information acquired by biomimetic skin. Currently this is achieved through vibrotactile feedback. However, the current actuators for vibrotactile feedback are bulky and the feedback is very limited. This has led researchers to explore invasive methods using neural probes. However, invasive methods are painful and current technology is far from practical use. We will overcome this challenge and develop flexible e-skin with ultra-thin microactuators with a combination of inductive coils and magnetic materials (to enhance the expansion of skin during vibration). The high-density microactuators and flexibility of substrate on which they are realized, will lead to enriched tactile feedback. The new skin patch will be validated by connecting with sensing components. Secondments will provide an opportunity to verify the effectiveness of proposed approach for tactile feedback in prosthetics and rehabilitation applications.
Expected Results
Ultra-flexible skin with microactuator array for vibrotactile feedback.
Placement
Host institution: University of Glasgow
Enrolments (in Doctoral degree): University of Glasgow
Supervisors
Ravinder Dahiya, Asgeir Alexandersson
Presentation of ESR8
PhD defence: To be announced
My name is Mahdieh Shojaei Baghini. My Ph.D. research at the University of Glasgow is focused on the development of new and translational technologies for the next generation of synthetic skin devices. By bringing together biology and engineering I would like to lead and contribute towards the fabrication of devices inspired from electronics and mechanics such as transistors and actuators, which exhibit biological integration capabilities. I received my masters with Honours in Biomedical Engineering from TU Delft, Netherlands, specializing in Bioelectronics. I completed my Bachelors in Electronics and Communications Engineering from National Institute of Technology Karnataka, India. Through my past research endeavors in the domains of micro/nano- fabrication, bioelectronics and multi physics modeling, I realized that my passion lies at the intersection of science and engineering.
Abstract of PhD goals
Microfabrication of spiral coils using clean-room technology and printing along with development of a read-out circuit for reading out multi-directional magnetic field in real-time. Finite element analysis of actuators exploiting their non-uniform dynamic response. This forms the basis of design of resonant actuators of which their displacement is amplified at a certain frequency or frequencies. In order to improve flexibility in the system, stiff NdFeB magnets that are actuated by the coils have been replaced with permanently magnetized polymers.. The magnetic domains in each particle align permanently to the applied magnetic field thus generating a flexible magnet of desired shape. The sensor-magnet system is attached to a motorized linear stage and the distance between the magnet and the sensor is varied in steps 1 mm.
Results
Journal Article
Ultra-Thin Chips with ISFET Array for Continuous Monitoring of Body Fluids pH
IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Circuits and Systems, 2021
DOI: 10.1109/TBCAS.2022.3141553
Conference Article
Mishra, S.; Shojaei Baghini, M.; Shakthivel, D.; Rai, B.; Dahiya, R.
Sensitivity Analysis of ZnO NWs Based Soft Capacitive Pressure Sensors Using Finite Element Modeling
IEEE International Conference on Flexible and Printable Sensors and Systems (FLEPS), 2022
DOI: 10.1109/FLEPS53764.2022.9781566