Abstract

Electronic skin (or E-skin) is an artificial smart skin composed of one or more than two sensors. E-skins detect external stimuli and convert them into electrical signals. Various types of E-skin sensors exist, including mechanical, physical, and chemical, depending on the detection signals involved. For wearable E-skins with superior sensitivity and reliability, developing conductors that possess both good elasticity and sensitivity is essential. Typical electrical conductors used in these sensors show very high sensitivity, but they have drawbacks such as non-linearity, irreversibility, and a narrow sensing range. To address these issues, stretchable and lightweight ionic conductors have been actively used in E-skin applications. This study summarizes the recent progress on various types of ionic conductors and ionic-conductor-based E-skin sensors.

Keywords: Electronic skin;E-skin;ionic conductor;hydrogel;organogel;ion gel