A Flexible Piezoresistive Sensor with Wide-Range Pressure Measurement based on a Graded Nest-Like Architecture.

Flexible pressure sensors present great potential in the application of human health monitoring, tactile function of prothesis, and electronic skin for robotics. These applications require a different trade-off between sensitivity and sensing range; therefore, it is imperative to develop multidimensional sensitivities in a single sensor. In this paper, a bioinspired strategy for a 3D pressure sensor using a graded porous resistive material is proposed to measure pressures from several Pa to MPa. Its fabrication is based on an easily accessible template method. The nest-architecture-based wide-range pressure sensor (NWPS) exhibits an adequately high sensitivity under an extensive pressure regime (20 Pa to 1.2 MPa). In addition, with rational structural design and subtle engineering of the material properties, the sensor achieves remarkable mechanical stability. To prove the concept, sensors were attached on a bicycle wheel to monitor tire-pavement pressure, and on human skin to detect biosignals such as venous and arterial blood pressure pulses.