journal article·2026-04Open access

A Strain Decoupling Packaging Strategy for High‐Fidelity Ultrathin Silicon Shape Sensors for Soft Medical Robotics

Hao Liu, Masahito Takakuwa, Michitaka Yamamoto, Yiwen Wang, Tomoyuki Yokota, Takao Someya, Toshihiro Itoh, Seiichi Takamatsu

Advanced Science· Volume 13· Issue 22

Abstract

ABSTRACT Reliable soft sensors are essential for precise control, real‐time feedback, and safe operation in soft medical robots. Ultrathin silicon piezoresistive sensors offer flexibility, durability, and high sensitivity, but protecting them from external stress while maintaining softness remains challenging. Existing packaging strategies often compromise flexibility and induce excessive strain, leading to device failure. Here, we introduce an oil‐lubricated slidable packaging approach that enables high‐fidelity shape sensing of ultrathin silicon gauges by mechanically isolating the sensing element within a dual‐layer film. This design decouples the sensor from the packaging, minimizing bending strain on the sensing element. Experimental results show that the sensor maintains stable and reliable signals under large applied strains, with fast response (<0.40 s), low hysteresis (∼3 %), and durability over more than 10 000 bending cycles at a 2 mm radius. The sensor was successfully integrated into a flexible endoscope, enabling precise shape detection under continuous 360° unidirectional bending, demonstrating feasibility for complex 3D perception. This work addresses long‐standing packaging challenges in ultrathin flexible devices and provides a structurally protective strategy for reliable shape sensing in flexible electronic systems.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials · Soft Robotics and Applications · Advanced Materials and Mechanics

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Precision Engineering Graduate School of Engineering The University of Tokyo Tokyo Japan

Institute of Engineering Innovation Graduate School of Engineering The University of Tokyo Tokyo Japan

Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Information Systems Graduate School of Engineering The University of Tokyo Tokyo Japan

School of Systems Science and Industrial Engineering Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science State University of New York at Binghamton Binghamton New York USA

Funding

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology · Japan Science and Technology Agency

References (43)

Show source-provided references
1. 10.1146/annurev‐control‐062322‐10060710.1146/annurev‐control‐062322‐100607 ↗
2. 10.1038/s41578‐018‐0022‐y10.1038/s41578‐018‐0022‐y ↗
3. 10.1002/advs.20210023010.1002/advs.202100230 ↗
4. 10.1016/j.robot.2014.08.01410.1016/j.robot.2014.08.014 ↗
5. 10.1126/scirobotics.adh406010.1126/scirobotics.adh4060 ↗
6. 10.1002/admt.20210001810.1002/admt.202100018 ↗
7. 10.1021/acsnano.3c0408910.1021/acsnano.3c04089 ↗
8. 10.1002/adma.20200288210.1002/adma.202002882 ↗
9. 10.1109/LRA.2021.306727910.1109/LRA.2021.3067279 ↗
10. 10.1021/acsami.1c0172110.1021/acsami.1c01721 ↗
11. 10.1002/adfm.20231203610.1002/adfm.202312036 ↗
12. 10.1002/aelm.20170027710.1002/aelm.201700277 ↗
13. 10.1557/jmr.2009.041710.1557/jmr.2009.0417 ↗
14. 10.1016/j.wear.2015.01.08110.1016/j.wear.2015.01.081 ↗
15. 10.1016/j.actamat.2010.06.03210.1016/j.actamat.2010.06.032 ↗
16. 10.1038/s41528‐018‐0021‐510.1038/s41528‐018‐0021‐5 ↗
17. 10.1038/s41586‐023‐05921‐z10.1038/s41586‐023‐05921‐z ↗
18. 10.1103/PhysRevLett.98.19550510.1103/PhysRevLett.98.195505 ↗
19. 10.1088/2631‐7990/ad492e10.1088/2631‐7990/ad492e ↗
20. 10.1002/advs.20220298010.1002/advs.202202980 ↗
21. Material Innovation And Mechanics Design For Substrates And Encapsulation OfFlexible Electronics: A Review
22. 10.1002/978352784572910.1002/9783527845729 ↗
23. 10.20517/ss.2023.0510.20517/ss.2023.05 ↗
24. 10.1073/pnas.16212829910.1073/pnas.162128299 ↗
25. 10.1038/s41598‐020‐59432‐210.1038/s41598‐020‐59432‐2 ↗
26. 10.1080/19475411.2023.226177510.1080/19475411.2023.2261775 ↗
27. 10.1007/s40820‐025‐01724‐110.1007/s40820‐025‐01724‐1 ↗
28. 10.1002/adma.20180251610.1002/adma.201802516 ↗
29. 10.1038/s41928‐018‐0116‐y10.1038/s41928‐018‐0116‐y ↗
30. 10.1002/adma.20150415210.1002/adma.201504152 ↗
31. 10.1088/0022‐3727/44/3/03400810.1088/0022‐3727/44/3/034008 ↗
32. 10.1016/j.tsf.2010.10.06910.1016/j.tsf.2010.10.069 ↗
33. 10.1201/b1240910.1201/b12409 ↗
34. 10.1016/j.device.2024.10068610.1016/j.device.2024.100686 ↗
35. 10.1038/s41598‐019‐39364‐210.1038/s41598‐019‐39364‐2 ↗
36. 10.1126/sciadv.abl622810.1126/sciadv.abl6228 ↗
37. Timoshenko S. P. · 1985
38. 10.1002/deo2.22110.1002/deo2.221 ↗
39. 10.1016/j.tige.2022.11.00610.1016/j.tige.2022.11.006 ↗
40. 10.1109/TBME.2017.272073910.1109/TBME.2017.2720739 ↗
41. 10.1038/s41467‐022‐35259‐510.1038/s41467‐022‐35259‐5 ↗
42. 10.1016/j.gie.2020.04.07410.1016/j.gie.2020.04.074 ↗
43. 10.1109/ACCESS.2021.306510410.1109/ACCESS.2021.3065104 ↗