Scientists from the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru, have designed an innovative device that senses strain, mimics pain perception, and adapts its electrical response accordingly.
The breakthrough paves the way for advanced wearable systems, allowing doctors to monitor stress levels in real-time.
How the Device Works
The device uses a silver wire network embedded on a stretchable material. When the material is stretched, small gaps form in the silver network, breaking the electrical pathway temporarily. An electric pulse prompts the silver to fill these gaps, reconnecting the network. Remarkably, this process enables the device to “remember” each stretching event.
Mimicking Memory and Adaptation
Each time the device is stretched and reconnected, it gradually adjusts its response, much like how the human body adapts to repeated pain over time.
The dynamic adaptation process allows the device to mimic memory, making it more intelligent and responsive to its environment.
Advantages of the New Device
What sets this device apart is its ability to combine sensing and adaptive response into a single, flexible unit.
The design eliminates the need for complex setups or external sensors, offering a more efficient way for technology to adapt naturally to changing conditions.
Potential Applications
The research could revolutionize health monitoring systems by enabling them to “feel” stress like the human body, providing real-time feedback to doctors and users.
Additionally, this technology could enhance robotic systems, making them safer and more intuitive in human-robot interactions.
As reported by biospectrumindia.com, the strain-sensing device marks a significant step toward creating materials and systems that respond intelligently to their environment, bridging the gap between technology and biological processes.