journal article·2026-03Open access

FOCUS: A Four‐In‐One Consolidated Unison Strain Sensor with Enhanced Sensitivity

Zimeng Wang, Ruiran Li, Bowen Yang, Zhuofei Peng, Muyang Jing, Yu Gu, Lixue Tang

Advanced Science· Volume 13· Issue 14

Abstract

ABSTRACT Liquid metal strain sensors possess outstanding stretchability, low modulus, and excellent repeatability, making them ideal for large‐deformation measurements. However, traditional liquid metal sensors inherently suffer from low sensitivity, which severely limits their capability in detecting subtle deformations. To achieve enhanced sensitivity, we have proposed a new paradigm: FOCUS, a Four‐in‐One Consolidated Unison Strain Sensor specifically created for microscale biomechanical deformation. In this work, four liquid metal strain sensors were printed on an elastic planar substrate and subsequently folded to overlap at the same location. Upon stretching, two of the sensors exhibited an increase in resistance, whereas the other two displayed a greater decrease. By leveraging this complementary response within a Wheatstone bridge configuration, FOCUS exhibits a fivefold enhancement in sensitivity compared to a single liquid metal sensor, while simultaneously maintaining signal stability against wide temperature range. FOCUS can accurately capture strains ranging from centimeters to micrometers, resolution reaches 25 micrometers. To demonstrate the powerful performance of FOCUS, we used it to perform periocular micro‐motion tracking and potential deformation monitoring of other human joints.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials · Advanced Materials and Mechanics · Advanced MEMS and NEMS Technologies

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

Affiliations

School of Biomedical Engineering Capital Medical University Beijing China

Beijing Key Laboratory of Intelligent Diagnosis Technology and Equipment for Optic Nerve‐Related Eye Diseases Beijing China

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