Michael Bartlett, a Young Investigator Award recipient from the Office of Naval Research, will develop wearable, whole-body sensing systems.
Because its evolution has been almost stagnant for millions, the horseshoe crab is sometimes called a ” living dinosaur.” Even though it has not evolved, the horseshoe crab still has a unique sensory network, some photoreceptors, that can distinguish between light and darkness.
Professor Michael Bartlett, a mechanical engineering assistant, is using funding from the Office of Naval Research to create a bio-inspired electronic version of this sensory system that can be used in a series of soft electronics for human wear.
Bartlett was awarded a Young Investigator Program Award from the Office of Naval Research’s Littoral Geosciences and Optics program in 2021 for his efforts to translate underwater creatures’ physiology into next-generation sensor technology.
Bartlett and his Soft Materials and Structures Lab team are fascinated by animals like the horseshoe crab and octopus because of their natural sensors. These organisms can adapt their behavior to their environment using various information, from the ten eyes on the horseshoe crab’s shell to the compound articulating eyes of the mantis shrimp.
Bartlett stated that these organisms perceive the world differently and can absorb multiple information to assess their environment. “This level of situational awareness is amazing and has prompted us to think about how sensors can be improved for human awareness.”
Bartlett’s method applies the concept of a complex cognitive system to an integrated electronic network. The team will create a wearable device with miniature sensors to process the environment and will be inspired by the horseshoe crab’s movements.
The data from the sensors will be combined to create a more robust picture of a subject’s environment. The wearable network’s central processor will use its connected sensors to offer advanced visual, sound, and proximity capabilities to help navigate potential problems.
Bartlett will use his extensive knowledge in soft electronics to help him develop the technology. He has recently developed polymer composites with metal inclusions. These devices replace rigid wires and rigid materials by using highly flexible materials sandwiched together. These new devices are similar to the skin but can carry an electric current. The lab has adapted these skin-like electronics for wireless charging devices and robust, self-healing electrical circuits. The team is rebuilding many rigid components into soft electronics to allow full motion and comfort.
Bartlett stated that soft electronics have the potential to make wearable devices that feel and function like skin. This could improve sensory perception and allow a better understanding of the environment.
Bartlett believes that technology’s “second skin” could lead to next-generation diving suits made from soft-matter components that look more like natural tissue than rigid gear. This would allow for more significant movement and faster motor responses.
Bartlett stated that the ultimate goal is to improve fundamental knowledge about soft sensing architectures. This will enable wearable platforms to mimic underwater organisms and provide accurate time sensor data to users to understand their environment better. Imagine if you could sense everything around you. Imagine having eyes on your back.