Bionic Photonic Haptic Chips Inspired by Dermo-Epidermal Interlocking Microstructures

Inspired by the hierarchical interlocking architecture of human skin, this study introduces a bioinspired photonic tactile chip, integrating S-shaped micro-nano fiber within a PDMS substrate. The biomimetic design synergizes structural and functional innovations, the S-shaped geometry amplifies localized light-matter interactions for enhanced sensitivity, while a multi-layered encapsulation strategy mimics dermal-epidermal junction, it ensures mechanical resilience and multi-modal sensing capability. The experiment verified that this sensor not only achieves microcontact force and temperature resolutions of 0.31 mN and 0.35 °C, but also accurate differentiation of material hardness. This work establishes a paradigm for fusing flexible mechanics with photonic sensing, delivering an innovative mindset for advanced robotics applications requiring simultaneous spatial resolution, environmental adaptability, and precise haptic feedback.