Smart Textiles with Soft Sensors and Actuators

Development of e-textile or e-skin requires materials and devices that are compliant, deformable and stretchable. This talk illustrates our efforts on devising approaches to fabricate sensors and actuators using soft elastomeric nanocomposites for smart textiles. One such example is the perovskite embedded nanofibers that are electrospun into fibrous network that is breathable and washable. The nanofiber composite generates output voltage when subjected to biomechanical stimuli due to triboelectricity and piezoelectricity. In addition, incorporation of dielectric elastomeric actuator allows vibrotactile haptic performance of smart textile. We have achieved this goal through 3D printed actuator that can be mounted onto fabric and developed fiber-based artificial muscles with incorporation of 2D nanomaterials such as MXenes. Wearables for quantitative measurements of muscle stiffness for monitoring of spasticity and eventually telehealth services have been enabled through the integration of soft sensors and actuators. Further discussion will be made on sustainability considerations of these functional devices on smart textiles.