A team of researchers from Shinshu University in Japan recently published a breakthrough study in the journal Advanced Science, in which they have successfully developed a new flexible fiber sensor with a double helix structure, inspired by the structure of DNA molecules. This innovative technology is expected to completely solve the industry problem of traditional wearable sensors being vulnerable to joint damage.
The technical dilemma of traditional wearable sensors
At present, the mainstream fiber sensor adopts a two-terminal electrode design, and when applied to frequently moved body parts such as fingers and knee joints, the connecting wires are easy to break or poor contact due to continuous traction, resulting in inaccurate measurement data. This structural defect seriously restricts the application potential of flexible sensors in smart clothing, medical monitoring and other fields.
DNA-inspired revolutionary design
Associate Professor Zhu Chunhong from the Institute of Fiber Engineering and Science, the leader of the research team, said: "We observed that the DNA double helix structure is stable through hydrogen bonds between base pairs, and this natural and delicate structure gave us important inspiration. Based on this discovery, the team innovatively used coaxial wet spinning technology to fabricate composite fibers with a special structure: multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) formed a conductive inner core, and the outer layer was wrapped with a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) insulating material containing titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles.
Technological breakthroughs and performance advantages
After heat treatment, the two special fibers are naturally wound to form a stable double helix structure. The double-helix fiber sensor, known as TT/MT, offers three significant advantages:
1. Single-ended electrode design: All electrodes are concentrated at one end, avoiding the connection problems of traditional designs at the moving site
2. Superior mechanical properties: less than 1 mm in diameter, it can withstand more than 300% tensile deformation
3. Superior durability: Laboratory tests show that it can withstand more than 1,000 repeated stretches
Figure: Biomimetic DNA double helix structure: a new flexible fiber sensor breaks through the technical bottleneck of wearable devices
Broad application prospects
In practical tests, the research team demonstrated the sensor's potential for multiple applications:
1. Gesture recognition: Smart gloves with embedded sensors can recognize six common gestures with 98.8% accuracy
2. Auxiliary communication: Wireless transmission of Morse code by detecting finger movements
3. Medical monitoring: It can accurately capture physiological signals such as respiratory rate
4. Sports protection: suitable for high-risk activities such as mountaineering, real-time monitoring of accidental falls or hypoxia on the plateau
Future directions
Dr. Zhu Chunhong said: "Our double-helix structure design provides a new idea for the development of smart fibers, and this universal architecture can be customized and improved according to different needs. The research team expects that this technology will drive the development of a new generation of wearable devices in the direction of higher reliability and better wearing comfort, and bring revolutionary changes to areas such as smart healthcare, sports science, and human-computer interaction.
This breakthrough research not only solves the problem of sensor durability that has plagued the industry for a long time, but also opens up a new path for the innovation and development of smart textiles. With the continuous improvement of technology, this bionic sensor is expected to be mass-produced in the near future and truly integrated into people's daily life.
