Laser-Induced Graphene Piezoresistive Sensors Synthesized Directly on Cork Insoles for Gait Analysis

Alexandre F. Carvalho, António J. S. Fernandes, Rodrigo Martins, Elvira Fortunato, Florinda M. Costa

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

73 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Monitorization of gait-related parameters is of the utmost importance to prevent complications in several diseases, ensuring affordable healthcare for the growing amount of chronic, lifestyle-related diseases and also for improving motion performance. Sensorized insoles allow to both pressure data and gait timings to be extracted non-intrusively in a point of care paradigm. Laser-induced graphene (LIG) offers a path to the integration of sensors in different kinds of materials, including cork, a common insole material. In this work, piezoresistive sensors are developed by providing conductivity to natural cork and agglomerate cork through the direct synthesis of LIG by UV irradiation. Highly isotropic conductive LIG regions with less than 100 Ω sq−1 are patterned and their piezoresistive response for up to 1132 kPa is assessed with sensitivities up to 0.02 kPa−1. A low-cost prototype insole is devised and tested, proving the potential of this kind of functional cork as a green alternative for gait analysis platforms.

Original languageEnglish
Article number2000630
JournalAdvanced Materials Technologies
Volume5
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2020

Keywords

  • cork
  • gait
  • laser-induced graphene
  • pressure sensors
  • UV laser

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