An Ultrasensitive, Visco-Poroelastic Artificial Mechanotransducer Skin Inspired by Piezo2 Protein in Mammalian Merkel Cells

Ming Liang Jin; Sangsik Park; Younghoon Lee; Ji Hye Lee; Junho Chung; Joo Sung Kim; Jong-Seon Kim; So Young Kim; Eunsong Jee; Dae Woo Kim; Jae Woo Chung; Seung Geol Lee; Dukhyun Choi; Hee-Tae Jung; Do Hwan Kim

doi:10.1002/adma.201605973

An Ultrasensitive, Visco-Poroelastic Artificial Mechanotransducer Skin Inspired by Piezo2 Protein in Mammalian Merkel Cells

Adv Mater. 2017 Apr;29(13). doi: 10.1002/adma.201605973. Epub 2017 Feb 10.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK-21 Plus), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 305-701, South Korea.
² Department of Organic Materials and Fiber Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, 06978, South Korea.
³ Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, 446-701, South Korea.
⁴ Department of Organic Material Science and Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, South Korea.
⁵ Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 151-744, South Korea.

PMID: 28185323
DOI: 10.1002/adma.201605973

Abstract

An artificial ionic mechanotransducer skin with an unprecedented sensitivity over a wide spectrum of pressure by fabricating visco-poroelastic nanochannels and microstructured features, directly mimicking the physiological tactile sensing mechanism of Piezo2 protein is demonstrated. This capability enables voice identification, health monitoring, daily pressure measurements, and even measurements of a heavy weight beyond capabilities of human skin.

Keywords: Piezo2 protein channel; ionic mechanotransducer; ultrasensitive artificial skin; visco-poroelastic.

MeSH terms

Acoustics
Animals
Biomimetic Materials* / chemistry
Elastomers / chemistry
Humans
Ion Channels / chemistry
Ion Channels / metabolism*
Ionic Liquids / chemistry
Ions / chemistry
Laryngeal Diseases / diagnosis
Laryngeal Diseases / physiopathology
Materials Testing
Mechanotransduction, Cellular* / physiology
Merkel Cells / metabolism*
Monitoring, Physiologic
Nanostructures / chemistry
Porosity
Pressure
Pulse
Silver Compounds / chemistry
Skin, Artificial*
Touch / physiology
Viscoelastic Substances / chemistry

Substances

Elastomers
Ion Channels
Ionic Liquids
Ions
Silver Compounds
Viscoelastic Substances