Enhancing Sensitivity across Scales with Highly Sensitive Hall Effect-Based Auxetic Tactile Sensors

Abstract

The research addresses the limitations inherent in conventional Hall effect-based tactile sensors, particularly their restricted sensitivity by introducing an innovative metastructure. Through meticulous finite element analysis optimization, the Hall effect-based auxetic tactile sensor (HEATS), featuring a rotating square plate configuration as the most effective auxetic pattern to enhance sensitivity, is developed. Experimental validation demonstrates significant sensitivity enhancements across a wide sensing range. HEATS exhibits a remarkable 20-fold and 10-fold improvement at tensile rates of 0.9% and 30%, respectively, compared to non-auxetic sensors. Furthermore, comprehensive testing demonstrates HEATS’ exceptional precision in detecting various tactile stimuli, including muscle movements and joint angles. With its unparalleled accuracy and adaptability, HEATS offers vast potential applications in human–machine and human–robot interaction, where subtle tactile communication is a prerequisite. © 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Intelligent Systems published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.