Mantis leg-inspired flexible capacitive pressure sensor with high sensitivity and fast response for wearable devices and human–machine interaction

Flexible pressure sensors are essential for advancing electronic skin and developing flexible wearable devices. Developing pressure sensors with high sensitivity and large-scale preparation in a cost-effective manner is currently a key challenge. Inspired by the structure of a mantis's leg, this study proposes a bionic flexible capacitive pressure sensor (BFCPS) with a polydimethylsiloxane material and a bionic structural design for the dielectric layer. Particularly, highly reliable pressure sensors are efficiently prepared in a controlled manner using 3D printing technology. Finite element simulation analysis demonstrates that the biomimetic microstructure significantly enhances sensor performance. The BFCPS with optimized structural parameters demonstrates high sensitivity (0.836 kPa -1 ), wide range up to 333 kPa, fast response/recovery time (40 ms/50 ms), and excellent durability. The outstanding sensing performance of the developed BFCPS has been successfully applied in wearable devices and human–machine interaction.