Soft reconfigurable logic gates with high-frequency electrical switching
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The development of functional soft materials has motivated replacing rigid electronics with stretchable logic structures. However, soft logic gates for macroscopic soft robots usually operate at low frequencies (<5 hertz). Here, we present high-frequency soft logic gates based on soft electric switches with ultralow latency (2 milliseconds). Fast switching is achieved using a tailored piezoresistive material-graphite frameworks (GFs)/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs). The GFs/PDMS strip exhibits a large resistance change within ~0.01% strain, allowing soft logic gates to operate up to 100 hertz. A soft oscillator is further developed using feedback control with a soft NOT gate and achieves autonomous deformation across ~1 to 78 hertz, demonstrating actuation, sensing, and feedback control capabilities. Compared to other soft electrical switches, this scheme also features a compact size (5 cubic centimeter) and low power consumption (0.4 milliwatts). This work enables fast, accurate control for electrostatic soft robots, enhancing their autonomy and interaction capabilities.
Source: Science Advances
Authors: Yiqun Xu, Fei Zhang, Philipp Rothemund, Christoph Keplinger, Zhipeng Xu, Jisen Li, Qingbin Zheng, Jian Zhu
Language: English
Subfield: Biomedical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,500
OpenAlex ID: W4413055640