Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology want to put your
signature up in lights -- tiny lights, that is. Using thousands of
nanometer-scale wires, the researchers have developed a sensor device
that converts mechanical pressure -- from a signature or a fingerprint
-- directly into light signals that can be captured and processed
optically.
The sensor device could provide an artificial sense of touch, offering
sensitivity comparable to that of the human skin. Beyond collecting
signatures and fingerprints, the technique could also be used in
biological imaging and micro-electromechanical (MEMS) systems.
Ultimately, it could provide a new approach for human-machine
interfaces.
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| This schematic shows a device for imaging pressure distribution by the piezo-phototronic effect. The illustration shows a nanowire-LED based pressure sensor array before (a) and after (b) applying a compressive strain. A convex character pattern, such as "ABC," molded on a sapphire substrate, is used to apply the pressure pattern on the top of the indium-tin oxide (ITO) electrode. (Credit: Courtesy of Zhong Lin Wang) |