Drone control with the swipe of a finger?

 

Drone control with the swipe of a finger? Chinese team shows how it is done


Chinese researchers have released a video demonstrating the latest innovation in drone control – where a user can command a drone by simply swiping their fingers across a wearable touchpad. Swipe patterns are instantly recognised by the advanced touchpad, which then sends the signals to a drone control platform via an external Bluetooth transmitter. Seamless interaction then allows the control platform to relay the commands to the drone.

“Amid growing demand for more compact, intelligent and multifunctional human-machine interfaces, this high-performance touchpad marks a significant leap forward for the next generation of intelligent remote interactive platforms,” Tian Ye, associate professor at China’s Northeastern University, told the South China Morning Post in an interview on Wednesday.

Results of the study were detailed in a recent paper in the peer-reviewed journal Nano Energy. The touchpad, similar in feel to a Band-Aid, has a layered structure that mimics the soft, skin-like texture ideal for wearable devices. “The base layer is made from Ecoflex, a soft rubber, while the middle layers consist of liquid metal electrodes and nine hydrogel arrays to collect touch signals,” PhD candidate Liu He, the study’s first author, explained.

“The top layer, crafted with sandpaper micro-surfaces, enhances sensitivity. The touchpad’s flexible design allows it to stretch to as much as 400 per cent of its original surface area.” At the core of this device is a self-powered sensor array based on a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), offering zero power consumption and high-sensitivity performance at a low cost.

When a user swipes their finger across the touchpad, it produces a readable voltage signal.
To process these touch signals, the team employed the transformer algorithm central to the famous AI model ChatGPT, with a few adjustments. They found the touchpad was able to interpret complex slide gestures of different strengths and speeds at any position. Tests on six slide gestures showed an impressive accuracy rate of 96.83 per cent, according to the paper.

One of the touchpad’s stand-out features is its resilience in low temperatures, where traditional hydrogels often freeze. Tian used antifreeze ionic conductive hydrogel to overcome this hurdle. Laboratory tests revealed that the antifreeze hydrogel retained its properties at minus 40 degrees Celsius (minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit). Field tests also confirmed the touchpad’s functionality in temperatures as low as minus 23 degrees Celsius.

This study brings together the benefits of hydrogels and TENG technology, marking a promising step forward in wearable electronics and human-machine interaction. This ultra-stretchable, triboelectric touchpad technology could see broad applications across various fields, Tian said. “Potential uses include controlling drones in complex or extreme environments, managing IoT (Internet of Things) devices in smart homes, and enabling remote care or medical treatments.”

We are thrilled to extend a warm welcome to the China Scientist Awards!

Join us for the China Scientist Awards, a premier event in the realm of research. Whether you're joining virtually from anywhere in the world, this is your invitation to explore and innovate in the field of research. Become part of a global community of researchers, scientists, and professionals passionate about advancing research.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Chinese research team creates tiny, wireless brain sensor

Image
  Chinese researchers have developed a sesame seed-sized, biodegradable and wireless brain sensor that could potentially transform the way brain conditions are monitored in patients with head injuries or tumors. The conventional method used to measure intracranial pressure, temperature and other brain health barometers is inserting a wired sensor into the brain. Implantation and removal of the device require surgery, and openings left in the skin during monitoring increase the risk of infection. To address these problems, researchers at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, Hubei province, along with those from Tong Ji Hospital in the city and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, created a cubeshaped wireless sensor measuring 2 millimeters on each side. The tiny tube can be injected under the skull through a needle and operated through an external ultrasound probe, eliminating the need for invasive operations and preventing infections. Because the implant is
Read more

Drones soar into wider application in China

Image
  A staff member shows a drone at the First Jinjiang Trade Fair on Scientific and Technological Innovation in Quanzhou, Fujian province, April 9, 2024.  GUANGZHOU - Instead of checking her mailbox frequently for her university admission letter, high school graduate Wang Yunyi received it up from the sky. On Monday morning, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for the first time delivered four college admission letters issued by the South China University of Technology to the hands of four students in the Chinese city of Guangzhou. The drone trip took about 30 minutes, covering 25 km, forming a new scenario for China's UAV application. "I was amazed to see my admission letter sent by a drone. It was like a movie scene coming to real life," said Wang. Guangzhou Post, the drone operator, has been delivering college admission letters for over 40 years, handling about 550,000 letters annually. "In the future, more students can experience technological advancement with their
Read more

Humanoid robot industry gains momentum, boosting China's economy

Image
  A humanoid robot welcomes guests at the reception desk of Zhongguancun Forum in Beijing on April 27, 2024. SHENZHEN - In an automotive factory, silver humanoid robots stride along assembly lines, conducting tasks once performed exclusively by humans -- from car scanning to seatbelt inspection and affixing labels onto vehicles. This is not a scene from a sci-fi movie, but a collaboration between UBTECH, a Shenzhen-based robotics firm, and Chinese electric carmaker NIO, highlighting the rapid advancement in China's humanoid robot industry. As competition intensifies among manufacturers, humanoid robots are increasingly being integrated into various sectors, with industrial applications leading the charge. Earlier this month, UBTECH announced it would work with FAW-Volkswagen, one of China's earliest joint venture automakers, to develop an unmanned car factory. This initiative aims to deploy UBTECH's industrial humanoid robot, Walker S, at FAW-Volkswagen's plant in East
Read more