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Development of Smart Electronic Devices Capable of Detecting Only Dangerous Stimuli
- Date : 22-03-30
- Views : 474
- Adaptation to weak stimuli and feeling pain from dangerous stimuli
- Mimicking human sensations to expedite humanoid development
Human skin adapts easily to a weak and prolonged stimulus, but continuous pain is induced when a strong, noxious stimulus is applied to avoid tissue damage. This feature helps our body to adapt easily to an external environment, and protects the skin from dangerous situations.
The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST, Institute Director: Seok-Jin Yoon) announced that the research team led by Dr. Jung Ho Yoon at the Electronic Materials Research Center and Dr. Chong-Yun Kang, the Director of the Advanced Material Technology Research Headquarters, has developed semiconductor electronic devices that easily adapt to weak stimuli and induce pain from dangerous stimuli in a manner similar to that triggered by the human skin.
The KIST research team developed electronic devices capable of adjusting the strength of a bio signal transferred to the brain according to the intensity of external stimuli by adjusting the amount of silver (Ag) particles. Ag particles are easily transported by electrical stimuli. If a small amount of Ag particles is included in a material, weak conducting filaments with nano-sized line shapes are formed, and the electric circuit formed by the filaments is disconnected by heat generation like the filament of an incandescent lamp. Based on this property, a repeated externally applied, weak stimulus can be prevented from generating additional signals by reducing the amount of flowing current over time. Conversely, if a large amount of Ag particles is included in the material, an electric circuit is formed by thick, strong filaments, and is not easily disconnected even if heat is generated. Using this principle, signals are generated to induce pain continuously when a strong stimulus is applied.
KIST Director Chong-Yun Kang stated that the significance of this study lies in the fact that beyond the capacity of the electronic devices to imitate pain, they can easily adapt to weak stimuli―which are harmless to the human body―to prevent pain, and induce pain when strong stimuli harmful to the human body are applied. Dr. Jung Ho Yoon expects that the developed technology will contribute considerably to the advancement of artificial skin, organs, and humanoid robots.
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This study was supported by the Next-generation Intelligent Semiconductor Technology Development Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea and the KIST Institutional Program funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (Minister: Dr. Hyesuk Im). The research results were published in the international journal of Advanced Science (inside back cover, Adv. Sci., 9, 2103484, 2022; IF: 16.806, top 5.24% based on the Journal Citation Reports).
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