Design and Fabrication of Flexible Carbon Fabric PDMS-Based Strain Sensor for Human Motion Monitoring

This work describes the fabrication of a carbon fabric polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based strain sensor to monitor the human kinematics with high flexibility, durability, and sensitivity. A flexible stretchable strain sensor is fabricated by using activated carbon fabric and PDMS to form the nanocomposite film. For the fabrication of the flexible sensor, robustness, and durability of electrodes are essential for its performance. To create robust electrodes, a novel idea of using snap buttons is introduced. Various material, electrical and mechanical characteristics of the sensor samples have been analyzed and discussed. To understand the behavior of the sensor under varied environmental conditions, variations with respect to changes in temperature, humidity, and moisture conditions are comprehensively studied. The developed sensor has Young’s modulus of elasticity (0.0127 MPa), high gauge factor (25.9), faster response time (~ms), excellent cyclic repeatability, and robustness to variation in temperature and humidity. Finally, the developed sensor is tested on the forefinger, wrist, and knees for monitoring human motions while performing different physical activities. The developed sensor has shown promising results and will be useful for applications across the field of wearable electronics and biomedical devices.