Flexible and Wearable Tactile Sensors for Intelligent Interfaces

Abstract

Rapid developments in intelligent interfaces across service, healthcare, and industry have led to unprecedented demands for advanced tactile perception systems. Traditional tactile sensors often struggle with adaptability on curved surfaces and lack sufficient feedback for delicate interactions. Flexible and wearable tactile sensors are emerging as a revolutionary solution, driven by innovations in flexible electronics and micro-engineered materials. This paper reviews recent advancements in flexible tactile sensors, focusing on their mechanisms, multifunctional performance and applications in health monitoring, human-machine interactions, and robotics. The first section outlines the primary transduction mechanisms of piezoresistive (resistance changes), capacitive (capacitance changes), piezoelectric (piezoelectric effect), and triboelectric (contact electrification) sensors while examining material selection strategies for performance optimization. Next, we explore the structural design of multifunctional flexible tactile sensors and highlight potential applications in motion detection and wearable systems. Finally, a detailed discussion covers specific applications of these sensors in health monitoring, human-machine interactions, and robotics. This review examines their promising prospects across various fields, including medical care, virtual reality, precision agriculture, and ocean monitoring.