The麦克阿尔平研究小组at the University of Minnesota’s Department of Mechanical Engineering have released an article demonstrating a method for 3D printing tiny, multimaterial sensors.
设备中使用的电子设备是可拉伸的，是人类指尖大小的一小部分，并且能够区分运动，将它们标记为未来可穿戴电子和仿生皮肤的介绍通道。
3D打印传感器的硅胶基层。剪辑通过Inside Scienceon YouTube
Inks and the process
McAlpine Research Group开发的传感器使用4种不同的墨水在6层中印刷3D。这可以分解如下：
- 第1层 - 纯硅酮支撑
- Layer 2 – Bottom electrode 3D printed in a silicone composite containing 75% silver
- Layer 3 – A conductive corkscrew sensor printed in the middle in a silicone composite ink containing 68% silver
- 第4层 - 纯有机硅墨水以将底部电极与随后的顶部电极分离
- Layer 5 – Sacrificial ink to provide support for the top electrode
- 第6层 - 75％银/有机硅复合材料的顶部电极
每一层都是使用定制的3D打印机直接编写的，该打印机具有基于Aerotech的AGS 1000龙门系统的四个移动喷嘴。在水中除去牺牲墨水，并在室温下固化其他材料。
结果是具有高伸缩性的导电材料。
Mechanical test of the sensor material’s stretchability. Clip via supplementary materials for 3D Printed Stretchable Tactile Sensors
Performance under pressure
为了测试材料作为传感器的功能，将设备打印到人手腕和手指尖端上。在手腕上，传感器用于进行脉冲读数，各种指尖测试证明了设备读取压力的能力，即按下按钮或弯曲手指时。
油墨和该方法的进一步研究包括further optomization of the materials; developing devices that can to read temperature; and“具有闭环反馈控制的3D打印平台，用于在任意和移动基板上实时打印对象。”
最终的成就将是将这些传感器整合到人体皮肤中的能力，使人们能够阅读体内的实时条件。
3D printed glass and other research from Minnesota
明尼苏达大学与俄克拉荷马州立大学和劳伦斯·利弗莫尔国家实验室合作，正在为研究3D printed glass lenses.Other 3D printing projects at the university, as reported by 3D Printing Industry, includes research that has produceda digital patch for treating heart diseases.
A full article on3D Printed Stretchable Tactile Sensorsis published online in the journal Advanced Materials. It is co-authored by Shuang-Zhuang Guo, Kaiyan Qiu, Fanben Meng, Sung Hyun Park, and Michael C. McAlpine.
For more of the latest 3D printing research and other related newssign up to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter,在推特上关注我们和像我们在Facebook上一样。
Limited tickets for the 3D Printing Industry Awards are also now available here.
Featured image: A 3D printed sensor with cent for scale. Screenshot via supplementary materials, McAlpine Research Group
