Printing of a Seamlessly Integrated PDMS-Fabric Sensor for Human Motion Monitoring

A major challenge in developing wearable technology is to achieve the seamless integration of high-performance strain sensors into textiles. This study introduces a new type of textile-integrated strain sensor fabricated through a dispensing-printing technology. By optimization of the key printing parameters and use of multiple printing methods at different temperatures and pressures, fully adhered polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) printing was achieved on the fabric substrate. Subsequently, a serpentine conductive layer mainly composed of carbon nanotubes was printed on this integrated substrate, followed by PDMS encapsulation. The resulting sensor exhibits outstanding electromechanical performance: a sensitivity of up to 52.6 ± 2.3 at 0.1% strain, a very low detection threshold of 0.1% strain, and stable conductivity after 1400 stretching cycles at 30% strain, demonstrating excellent cyclic stability. In practical applications, the sensor successfully monitored the movements of various joints. These results highlight the significant potential of PDMS-fabric sensors in reliable human motion perception for wearable electronic products.