Tactile Sensors

Tactile sensors, a key interface between machines and the physical world, must perceive both static pressure and dynamic vibration to emulate the human sense of touch. With the rapid growth of robotics and human-machine interaction, the demand for tactile systems that combine high reliability with spatial resolution is increasing, driving the need for highly integrated sensor platforms. Our research group explores bio-inspired sensing strategies that mimic the complementary roles of slowly-adapting and fast-adapting mechanoreceptors in human skin. In particular, we investigate a dual-mode tactile sensor that simultaneously captures static pressure and dynamic vibration on a single device, built on a ScAlN-based CMOS-MEMS platform for monolithic on-chip integration with readout circuitry. We also study array integration approaches based on serpentine interconnect designs, enabling flexible, large-area tactile sensor arrays for future spatial sensing systems.