Flexible Sensors from Nanocomposites
Flexible Sensing Systems for Health, Fluids and Intelligent Structures
We develop flexible and printed sensor systems that combine materials, mechanics, instrumentation and data-driven analysis for real-world applications.
CORE CAPABILITIES
Flexible Sensors
Printed Electronics
Nano-composites
Hierarchical Micro-structures
Machine Learning
Signal Processing
Pressure. Strain. Temperature. Touch.
Screen-printing. patterned sensors.
CNT. Graphene. Metallic & lami-nated thin films.
Laser-engineered surfaces
Classification. Interpretable ML.
FFT. Time-freq analysis. Feature analysis.
SELECTED FUNDED PROJECTS
MultiSENSE: Multifunctional sensing skins for curved aircraft surfaces. Funded by: ANRF [2024-27]
We are developing a flexible multifunctional sensing skin to accurately monitor temperature and strain on the aerospace surfaces, even under changing ambient conditions. The skin will integrate temperature and strain sensors on the flexible skin. We are trying to minimize delamination effects between the skin and aircraft surface and to minimize cross-sensitivities between different sensors.
FRAMME: Flexible sensor array for health monitoring of morphing structures. Funded by: ANRF [2023-26]
Harmonious development of electrical and mechanical performances is vital for developing soft strain sensor system that can monitor shape and health of morphing structures with minimum flow perturbation and greater efficiency. We are developing a strain measurement system that can be deployed over morphing structures for shape monitoring as well as health monitoring to ensure that the structures are not overloaded beyond the prescribed limit.
TESSLA: Towards development of ultrasensitive strain measurement system using laminated nanocomposites
Funded by: Indo-German Science and Technology Centre [2023-26]
We developed a low-cost, portable, and real-time neonatal respiration monitoring system with synchronized oxygen delivery. The screen-printed, skin-like baby patch demonstrated high sensitivity, rapid response time, minimal drift, and negligible thermal variation. Signal processing combined with ML-based classification facilitated accurate real-time differentiation among normal breathing, tachypnea, and apnea episodes.
Development of high-performance soft strain/pressure sensors based on nanocomposites with hierarchical microstructures
Funded by: IITJ [2021-24]
By introducing microstructures into the sensing film, both sensitivity and working range can be substantially enhanced. However, microstructure production involves complex, expensive, and slow. We developed hierarchically microstructured flexible pressure sensor with exceptional performance (316% more sensitivity and 18% less response time compared to hemispherical microstructured sensors). These were later tested in sloshing liquid monitoring.
FlexTem: Highly conductive nanocomposite fibers for flexible temperature sensors. Funded by: SERB [2020-22]
Wiser embedding of metal nanoparticles with CNT as filler in polymer matrix can give the combined advantages of all three, without sacrificing their individual ones. We developed efficient flexible temperature sensors from highly conducting nanocomposite (metal-CNT-polymer) fibers. The skin-thermometers were later used to examine the influence of environmental (e.g. ambient temperature) and physiological (e.g. gender) factors on body temperature.
*PhD aspirants application link Click Here
FERN team meet with Director Dr. Abhay Pashilkar at NAL, Bangalore
FERN team demonstrating to Hon'ble Minister, Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh, Delhi
1. Neonatal & Wearable Health Monitoring
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Neo-Patch for NICU: Multi-parameter monitoring in neonates using a single patch; integrates temperature, respiration, and heart rate tracking for improved NICU care.
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Skin Temperature Statistical Analysis: Large-scale population study to redefine normal body temperature based on gender, occupation, and health conditions.
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Touch-Controlled Assistive Devices: Flexible touch-sensing patches for device control; complex gesture recognition using ML.
2. Intelligent Liquid Sloshing Monitoring
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FlexiHMS does conformal, nonintrusive, dynamic pressure monitoring in fluid-structure interaction systems where conventional rigid sensor mounting is impractical.
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Flexible hierarchical microstructured based pressure sensors detects non-linear sloshing dynamics.
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Ag Nanoparticle Synthesis by LASiS: substrate dependent behaviour opens possibilities for flexible, low-cost thermal and pressure sensors.
3. Sensing Skin for Aerospace Structures
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Low complexity wiring: Integration of flexible and stretchable strain sensing array for low-wire, high sensitivity SHM
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Aircraft sensing skin fabrication: development of printed sensing skins for static and dynamic load monitoring on aircraft wings.
4. Nanomaterials & Nanocomposites
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Nanocomposite Characterization: Visualizing stress transfer mechanisms in bilayer graphene–PDMS nanocomposites to understand mechanical reinforcement.
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Electrospun Fiber Analysis: Predicting PVDF fiber properties like diameter using interpretable machine learning; investigating impact of Taylor cone height.
5. Data-Driven Materials & ML for Sensing
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ML for Electrospinning: Interpretable machine learning models to predict properties of electrospun fibers based on process parameters and solution properties.
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Gesture Recognition: Time-frequency domain representations (e.g., CWT-scalograms) and dynamic time warping improve accuracy in gesture-based interfaces.
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ML for prediction of bead formation in PVDF fiber across different solvent systems.
RESEARCH TOPICS
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