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Essential tremor, the most common pathological tremor, is assumed to originate in the central nervous system. It can result in functional disability because the tremors obstruct movement. We have developed a soft exosuit to assist essential tremor patients that provides a comfortable, unobtrusive and soft interface to the human body, and evaluated whether it can constrain joint movement and suppress tremors. We developed a prototype cable-driven exosuit based on three-point fixation that restricts joint motion only when necessary. Tremors were simulated in healthy test subjects using functional electrical stimulation. The experimental results show that the tremor intensity obtained with the exosuit in constrained mode was approximately 62% of that obtained in unconstrained mode. These results show that the cable-driven soft exosuit effectively suppressed joint motion in patients with simulated essential tremor. We also demonstrated that the exosuit could switch between constrained and unconstrained modes.

Lithium metal batteries are regarded as promising alternatives to lithium ion batteries due to their high specific capacity. However, lithium dendrite growth during cycling causes safety problem and rapid capacity loss. Here, we report a composite Li anode composed (LYF) of metallic Li and trace amounts (1–2 wt%) of two-dimensional YFδ. The lithiophilic nature of YFδ enables its homogeneous dispersion in metallic lithium. The LYF electrode exhibits lower resistance, higher chemical and mechanical stability, and longer cycle life compared to bare Li electrode due to uniform Li stripping and plating with YFδ incorporation, which was confirmed by in-situ optical microscope observation. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals that LiF can in-situ form on the LYF electrode with reactions between Li and YFδ during cycling. The spontaneous reactions are clarified by density functional theory calculations. A quasi-solid-state cell with LYF anode, LiFePO4 cathode and cathode-supported solid electrolyte layer has been constructed with a soft interface constructed between Li anode and solid electrolyte by in-situ thermal polymerization. The cell shows a high initial discharge capacity of 147 mAh g−1 at 0.5 C at 60 °C and sustains a stable cycling over 50 cycles with the in-situ formed LiF-rich layer and soft interface.

Recent advancement in wearable and robot-assisted healthcare technology gives rise to the demand for smart interfaces that allow more efficient human-machine interaction. In this paper, a hydrogel-based soft sensor for subtle touch detection is proposed. Adopting the working principle of a biomedical imaging technology known as electrical impedance tomography (EIT), the sensor produces images that display the electrical conductivity distribution of its sensitive region to enable touch detection. The sensor was made from a natural gelatin hydrogel whose electrical conductivity is considerably less than that of human skin. The low conductivity of the sensor enabled a touch-detection mechanism based on a novel short-circuiting approach, which resulted in the reconstructed images being predominantly affected by the electrical contact between the sensor and fingertips, rather than the conventionally used piezoresistive response of the sensing material. The experimental results indicated that the proposed sensor was promising for detecting subtle contacts without the necessity of exerting a noticeable force on the sensor.

The current thermoremendable polyurethanes (PUs) based on reversible Diels–Alder (DA) chemistry featuring both good mechanical properties and efficient macrodamage healability are up to now built with the DA bonds located in the hard domains with restricted mobility, which hinders the DA reversibility. Thus, the healing process in these materials requires predissociation of DA bonds via the retro reaction at high temperatures (110–180 °C) followed by DA re-formation, which may compromise the material performance integrity. Here, we show a design of thermoset PUs containing dynamic DA entities engineered at the interface between the hard and soft domains that combine high modulus and toughness with mild-temperature-triggered molecular mobility, which is a prerequisite for efficient healing capability. This concept of molecular design enables PUs to have great mechanical properties (Young’s modulus ∼80–225 MPa, ultimate tensile strength ∼16–30 MPa, and toughness ∼26–96 MJ m–3) and simultaneously remarkable ...

espanolEsta investigacion pretende contribuir al campo actual del diseno arquitectonico ofreciendo pruebas de que un enfoque colaborativo y personificado ante la arquitectura blanda puede informar un nuevo proceso de diseno fisico-material. La actual tecnologia de diseno (por ejemplo sensores, escaneres 3D o programas de modelado de procesos), junto con el uso del cuerpo como fuente de diseno de un espacio, ofrece nuevos metodos y herramientas para disenar arquitectura (Hirschberg, Sayegh, Fruhwirth y Zedlacher 2006). Sin embargo no se ha explorado a fondo el potencial existente para experimentar y capturar digitalmente una interaccion de material blando y elastico mediante el cuerpo como sistema dinamico capaz de informar un diseno de arquitectura blanda. Utilizando la experiencia vivida como herramienta de diseno, permitimos que el material exprese sus cualidades cuando es activado por el cuerpo y que revele su forma en lugar de ser impuesta desde el exterior (DeLanda 2015). A partir de un enfoque personificado que se utiliza en diseno de interaccion y moda (Loke y Robertson 2011; Wilde, Vallgarda y Tomico 2017), esta investigacion propone un metodo hibrido para explorar una ontologia tela-cuerpo como una entidad que tiene el potencial para disenar un espacio, junto con el uso de tecnologia de captacion de movimiento para intentar re-conectar lo experiencial (el cuerpo) con la arquitectura (el espacio). A traves de una interface hecha a medida con materiales blandos y duros, exploramos las cualidades dinamicas y espaciales de la elasticidad del material mediante movimientos coreografiados del cuerpo. La interface actua a modo de espacio deformable que se puede modelar con el cuerpo. Asi, se crea una serie de expresiones de forma que van desde las sutiles modificaciones de la superficie hasta deformaciones mas salientes. Tres sensores Kinect captaron estos procesos de creacion de forma en tiempo real y produjeron material digital sin procesar que, debidamente manipulado, se puede traducir en simulaciones arquitectonicas. De ese modo validaron el metodo como una nueva forma de informar procesos de diseno de arquitectura blanda. Los resultados demostraron que: 1) la experiencia directa de interactuar de manera colaborativa con una interface blanda y elastica permite determinar las cualidades dinamicas del material en relacion a si mismo y a los otros y facilita un proceso espacial inmediato de creacion de significado; 2) explorar el diseno de un espacio blando y elastico a traves de una coreografia y de tecnologia de captura de movimientos ayuda a crear escalas aumentadas en los ambitos fisico y digital, y propone un nuevo metodo de diseno hibrido; 3) la interface blanda y elastica se convierte en una nueva entidad cuando el cuerpo le da forma (ontologia tela-cuerpo) y de ese modo permite que haya variedad de expresiones formales y ofrece una fuente de material digital no procesado para el diseno de arquitectura. catalaAquesta investigacio vol contribuir al camp actual del disseny arquitectonic oferint proves que un enfocament col·laboratiu i personificat davant l'arquitectura tova pot informar un nou proces de disseny fisicomaterial. L'actual tecnologia de disseny (per exemple sensors, escaners 3D o programes de modelatge de processos), juntament amb l'us del cos com a font de disseny d'un espai, ofereix nous metodes i noves eines per dissenyar arquitectura (Hirschberg, Sayegh, Fruhwirth i Zedlacher 2006). Malgrat aixo, no s'ha explorat a fons el potencial existent d’experimentar i capturar digitalment una interaccio de material tou i elastic per mitja del cos com a sistema dinamic capac d'informar un disseny d'arquitectura tova. Utilitzant l'experiencia viscuda com a eina de disseny, permetem que el material expressi les seves qualitats quan es activat pel cos i que reveli la seva forma en lloc que aquesta li sigui imposada des de l'exterior (DeLanda 2015). A partir d'un enfocament que s'utilitza en disseny d'interaccio i moda (Loke i Robertson 2011; Wilde, Vallgarda i Tomico 2017), aquesta investigacio proposa un metode hibrid per explorar una ontologia teixit-cos com a entitat que te el potencial de dissenyar un espai, juntament amb l'us de tecnologia de captacio de moviment per intentar re-connectar allo experiencial (el cos) amb l'arquitectura (l'espai). A traves d'una interficie feta a mida amb materials tous i durs, explorem les qualitats dinamiques i espacials de l'elasticitat del material per mitja de moviments coreografiats del cos. La interficie actua a tall d'espai deformable que es pot modelar amb el cos. Aixi, es creen una serie d'expressions de forma que van des de les subtils modificacions de la superficie fins a deformacions mes sortints. Tres sensors Kinect van captar aquests processos de creacio de forma en temps real i van produir material digital sense processar que, degudament manipulat, es pot traduir en simulacions arquitectoniques. D'aquesta manera van validar el metode com una nova forma d'informar processos de disseny d'arquitectura tova. Els resultats van demostrar que: 1) l'experiencia directa d'interactuar de manera col·laborativa amb una interficie tova i elastica permet determinar les qualitats dinamiques del material amb relacio a si mateix i als altres i facilita un proces espacial immediat de creacio de significat; 2) explorar el disseny d'un espai tou i elastic a traves d'una coreografia i de tecnologia de captura de moviments ajuda a crear escales augmentades en els ambits fisic i digital, i proposa un nou metode de disseny hibrid; 3) la interficie tova i elastica es converteix en una nova entitat quan el cos li dona forma (ontologia teixit-cos) i d'aquesta manera permet que hi hagi varietat d'expressions formals i ofereix una font de material digital no processat per al disseny d'arquitectura. EnglishThis research aims to contribute to the current field of architectural design by offering evidence of how a collaborative and embodied approach to soft architecture can inform a new physical-digital design process. Current design technologies (e.g. sensors, 3D scanners, procedural modelling software), together with the use of the body as a source for designing a space, offer new methods and tools for designing architecture (Hirschberg, Sayegh, Fruhwirth and Zedlacher 2006). However, the potential for experiencing and digitally capturing a soft and elastic material interaction through the body as a dynamic system capable of informing soft architectural design has not yet been widely explored. By using the felt experience as a tool for design, we allow the material to express its qualities when activated by the body, revealing its form instead of it being imposed from outside (DeLanda 2015). Taking an embodied approach used in interaction design and fashion design (Loke and Robertson 2011; Wilde, Vallgarda, and Tomico 2017), this research proposes a hybrid method to explore a textile-body ontology as an entity that has the potential to design a space, along with the use of motion capture technology in an effort to re-connect the experiential (the body) with the architecture (the space). Through a custom-made interface, made of soft and hard materials, we explored the dynamic and spatial qualities of material elasticity through choreographed body movements. The interface acts as a deformable space that can be shaped by the body, producing a collection of form expressions, ranging from subtle surface modifications to more prominent deformations. Such form-giving processes were captured in real time by three Kinect sensors, offering a distinct digital raw material that can be conveniently manipulated and translated into architectural simulations, validating the method as a new way to inform soft architectural design processes. The findings showed that: 1) the direct experience of collaboratively interacting with a soft and elastic interface allows the identification of the dynamic qualities of the material in relation to oneself and others, facilitating an immediate spatial meaning-making process; 2) exploring the design of a soft and elastic space through choreography and motion capture technology contributes to the creation of augmented relational scales across physical and digital realms, proposing a new hybrid design method; 3) the soft and elastic interface becomes a new entity when shaped by the body (textile-body ontology) giving the opportunity for a variety of formal expressions and offering a source of digital raw material for architectural design.

In this work, we investigate the thermomechanical behavior of flax-fabric/epoxy composites by means of DMA experiments. Fabrics from flax fibers have undergone different chemical treatments: leaching, bleaching or mercerization. We study the influence of these chemical treatments on the dynamic mechanical relaxation spectra of the composites around the main relaxation mode. We construct master plots for the loss modulus for each sample using the time–temperature superposition (TTS) principle. The master curves were fitted with the Havriliak-Negami model and we show that both interface and interphase of composites are modified as a result of the chemical treatments. Best mechanical properties were found for mercerized treatment.

peer-reviewed The full text of this article will not be available in ULIR until the embargo expires on the 06/03/2021 One of the many evolved functions of photosynthetic organisms is to synthesize light harvesting nanostructures from photoactive molecules such as porphyrins. Engineering synthetic analogues with optimized molecular order necessary for the efficient capture and harvest of light energy remains challenging. Here, we address this challenge by reporting the self-assembly of zinc(II) meso-tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrins into films of highly ordered nanostructures. The self-assembly process takes place selectively at the interface between two immiscible liquids (water|organic solvent), with kinetically stable interfacial nanostructures formed only at pH values close to the pKa of the carboxyphenyl groups. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest that the assembly process is driven by an interplay between the hydrophobicity gradient at the interface and hydrogen bonding in the formed nanostructure. Ex situ XRD analysis and in situ UV/vis and steady state fluorescence indicates the formation of chlathrate type nanostructures that retain the emission properties of their monomeric constituents. The self-assembly method presented here avoids the use of acidic conditions, additives such as surfactants and external stimuli, offering an alternative for the realization of light-harvesting antennas in artificial photosynthesis technologies.

The understanding of friction in soft materials is of increasing importance due to the demands of industries such as healthcare, biomedical, food and personal care, the incorporation of soft materials into technology, and in the study of interacting biological interfaces. Many of these processes occur at the nanoscale, but even at micrometer length scales there are fundamental aspects of tribology that remain poorly understood. With the advent of Friction Force Microscopy (FFM), there have been many fundamental insights into tribological phenomena at the atomic scale, such as ‘stick-slip’ and ‘super-lubricity’. This review examines the growing field of soft tribology, the experimental aspects of FFM and its underlying theory. Moving to the nanoscale changes the contact mechanics which govern adhesive forces, which in turn play a pivotal role in friction, along with the deformation of the soft interface and dissipative phenomena. We examine recent progress and future prospects in soft nanotribology., Nanoscale, 12 (4), ISSN:2040-3364, ISSN:2040-3372

A living electrode construct that enables integration of cells within bionic devices has been developed. The layered construct uses a combination of non-degradable conductive hydrogel and degradable biosynthetic hydrogel to support cell encapsulation at device surfaces. In this study, the material system is designed and analyzed to understand the impact of the cell carrying component on electrode characteristics. The cell carrying layer is shown to provide a soft interface that supports extracellular matrix development within the electrode while not significantly reducing the charge transfer characteristics. The living layer was shown to degrade over 21 days with minimal swelling upon implantation.

International audience; The contact of a hydrogel during the rotational shearing on glass surface in concentrated polymer solution was observed in situ. Dynamic contact patterns that rotate in-phase with the rotational shearing of the gel were observed for the first time. The contact patterns with a periodicity in the circumferential direction appeared and became fine with the shearing time. The patterns appeared more quickly at elevated sliding velocity, polymer concentration, and normal pressure. Furthermore, the softness of the gel also substantially influenced the character of the patterns. The pattern formation was discussed in terms of the non-linear rheology of the polymer solution at the rotational soft interface.

Polymer synthesis techniques are very important to create and design soft interfaces. In particular, the strict control of polymer architecture is an important issue. Homopolymers, random copolymers, and block copolymers with well-defined molecular weight, structure, and narrow molecular weight distribution can be prepared via living or controlled/living polymerization techniques.

The properties of the soft materials are much affected by the interactions between the building blocks of the composed molecules. The molecules exhibit the self-assembling properties, and form the macroscopic higher ordered structure of soft materials. At the same time, the physical properties of the molecules are able to be designed in order to control the soft materials properties. In this section, the methods of soft materials preparations are described based on the molecular self-assembling properties. The nanostructure of the soft materials is controlled by the bottom-up technologies based on the self-assembling properties, and is in contrast to the top-down technologies of inorganic materials. The detailed methods and examples of the soft materials are described, and the molecules of special properties are also described.

The Power of Proximity fashion tech collection creates a network between garments to show what users have in common with each other. The collection uses a mesh network to link the garments where pre-processed data taken from social media is stored locally on a micro-controller. Once the garments are connected to the same network they exchange data and an algorithm determines the commonalities between the users. Infrared signalling is used to tell if the wearers are facing each other and when that happens an array of LEDs then displays the level of commonalities. The level changes if the users spend time together. The two garments are knitted from merino wool and cashmere and designed so that the electronics are seamlessly embedded into them to create a soft interface around the body.

The self-assembly of curcumin nanoparticles has gained considerable attention due to their widespread applications in the biological and technological fields. We report the formation of free-energy-driven self-assembled core–shell curcumin nanoparticles. The assembly mimics the morphology of liposome with hydrophobic curcumin particles trapped inside the core and hydrophilic nanoclay platelets forming the corona. Hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions were found to coexist with a soft interface separating them. Herein, a simple theoretical model is used to explain the important role played by the interface in providing stability to the assembly, whereby it provides a repulsive barrier against the attractive hydrophobic forces prevailing between the nanoparticles located in the core. The dimension of the nanoclay platelets beautifully tunes the stability of the self-assembly. It is remarkable that hydrophilic and hydrophobic systems can coexist with soft interfacial forces providing the required stability without the necessity for any surfactant.

A straightforward, direct, and selective method is presented for electrochemical cocaine identification in street samples. The sensing mechanism is based on a simple ion transfer reaction across the polarized liquid-liquid interface. The interfacial behavior of a number of cutting agents is also reported. Interfacial miniaturization has led to improved electroanalytical properties of the liquid-liquid interface based sensor as compared with the macroscopic analogue. The reported method holds great potential to replace colorimetric tests with poor selectivity for on-site street sample analysis.

Aquesta investigació vol contribuir al camp actual del disseny arquitectònic oferint proves que un enfocament col·laboratiu i personificat davant l'arquitectura tova pot informar un nou procés de disseny fisicomaterial. L'actual tecnologia de disseny (per exemple sensors, escàners 3D o programes de modelatge de processos), juntament amb l'ús del cos com a font de disseny d'un espai, ofereix nous mètodes i noves eines per dissenyar arquitectura (Hirschberg, Sayegh, Frühwirth i Zedlacher 2006). Malgrat això, no s'ha explorat a fons el potencial existent d’experimentar i capturar digitalment una interacció de material tou i elàstic per mitjà del cos com a sistema dinàmic capaç d'informar un disseny d'arquitectura tova. Utilitzant l'experiència viscuda com a eina de disseny, permetem que el material expressi les seves qualitats quan és activat pel cos i que reveli la seva forma en lloc que aquesta li sigui imposada des de l'exterior (DeLanda 2015). A partir d'un enfocament que s'utilitza en disseny d'interacció i moda (Loke i Robertson 2011; Wilde, Vallgårda i Tomico 2017), aquesta investigació proposa un mètode híbrid per explorar una ontologia teixit-cos com a entitat que té el potencial de dissenyar un espai, juntament amb l'ús de tecnologia de captació de moviment per intentar re-connectar allò experiencial (el cos) amb l'arquitectura (l'espai). A través d'una interfície feta a mida amb materials tous i durs, explorem les qualitats dinàmiques i espacials de l'elasticitat del material per mitjà de moviments coreografiats del cos. La interfície actua a tall d'espai deformable que es pot modelar amb el cos. Així, es creen una sèrie d'expressions de forma que van des de les subtils modificacions de la superfície fins a deformacions més sortints. Tres sensors Kinect van captar aquests processos de creació de forma en temps real i van produir material digital sense processar que, degudament manipulat, es pot traduir en simulacions arquitectòniques. D'aquesta manera van validar el mètode com una nova forma d'informar processos de disseny d'arquitectura tova. Els resultats van demostrar que: 1) l'experiència directa d'interactuar de manera col·laborativa amb una interfície tova i elàstica permet determinar les qualitats dinàmiques del material amb relació a si mateix i als altres i facilita un procés espacial immediat de creació de significat; 2) explorar el disseny d'un espai tou i elàstic a través d'una coreografia i de tecnologia de captura de moviments ajuda a crear escales augmentades en els àmbits físic i digital, i proposa un nou mètode de disseny híbrid; 3) la interfície tova i elàstica es converteix en una nova entitat quan el cos li dona forma (ontologia teixit-cos) i d'aquesta manera permet que hi hagi varietat d'expressions formals i ofereix una font de material digital no processat per al disseny d'arquitectura., Esta investigación pretende contribuir al campo actual del diseño arquitectónico ofreciendo pruebas de que un enfoque colaborativo y personificado ante la arquitectura blanda puede informar un nuevo proceso de diseño físico-material. La actual tecnología de diseño (por ejemplo sensores, escáneres 3D o programas de modelado de procesos), junto con el uso del cuerpo como fuente de diseño de un espacio, ofrece nuevos métodos y herramientas para diseñar arquitectura (Hirschberg, Sayegh, Frühwirth y Zedlacher 2006). Sin embargo no se ha explorado a fondo el potencial existente para experimentar y capturar digitalmente una interacción de material blando y elástico mediante el cuerpo como sistema dinámico capaz de informar un diseño de arquitectura blanda. Utilizando la experiencia vivida como herramienta de diseño, permitimos que el material exprese sus cualidades cuando es activado por el cuerpo y que revele su forma en lugar de ser impuesta desde el exterior (DeLanda 2015). A partir de un enfoque personificado que se utiliza en diseño de interacción y moda (Loke y Robertson 2011; Wilde, Vallgårda y Tomico 2017), esta investigación propone un método híbrido para explorar una ontología tela-cuerpo como una entidad que tiene el potencial para diseñar un espacio, junto con el uso de tecnología de captación de movimiento para intentar re-conectar lo experiencial (el cuerpo) con la arquitectura (el espacio). A través de una interface hecha a medida con materiales blandos y duros, exploramos las cualidades dinámicas y espaciales de la elasticidad del material mediante movimientos coreografiados del cuerpo. La interface actúa a modo de espacio deformable que se puede modelar con el cuerpo. Así, se crea una serie de expresiones de forma que van desde las sutiles modificaciones de la superficie hasta deformaciones más salientes. Tres sensores Kinect captaron estos procesos de creación de forma en tiempo real y produjeron material digital sin procesar que, debidamente manipulado, se puede traducir en simulaciones arquitectónicas. De ese modo validaron el método como una nueva forma de informar procesos de diseño de arquitectura blanda. Los resultados demostraron que: 1) la experiencia directa de interactuar de manera colaborativa con una interface blanda y elástica permite determinar las cualidades dinámicas del material en relación a sí mismo y a los otros y facilita un proceso espacial inmediato de creación de significado; 2) explorar el diseño de un espacio blando y elástico a través de una coreografía y de tecnología de captura de movimientos ayuda a crear escalas aumentadas en los ámbitos físico y digital, y propone un nuevo método de diseño híbrido; 3) la interface blanda y elástica se convierte en una nueva entidad cuando el cuerpo le da forma (ontología tela-cuerpo) y de ese modo permite que haya variedad de expresiones formales y ofrece una fuente de material digital no procesado para el diseño de arquitectura., This research aims to contribute to the current field of architectural design by offering evidence of how a collaborative and embodied approach to soft architecture can inform a new physical-digital design process. Current design technologies (e.g. sensors, 3D scanners, procedural modelling software), together with the use of the body as a source for designing a space, offer new methods and tools for designing architecture (Hirschberg, Sayegh, Frühwirth and Zedlacher 2006). However, the potential for experiencing and digitally capturing a soft and elastic material interaction through the body as a dynamic system capable of informing soft architectural design has not yet been widely explored. By using the felt experience as a tool for design, we allow the material to express its qualities when activated by the body, revealing its form instead of it being imposed from outside (DeLanda 2015). Taking an embodied approach used in interaction design and fashion design (Loke and Robertson 2011; Wilde, Vallgårda, and Tomico 2017), this research proposes a hybrid method to explore a textile-body ontology as an entity that has the potential to design a space, along with the use of motion capture technology in an effort to re-connect the experiential (the body) with the architecture (the space). Through a custom-made interface, made of soft and hard materials, we explored the dynamic and spatial qualities of material elasticity through choreographed body movements. The interface acts as a deformable space that can be shaped by the body, producing a collection of form expressions, ranging from subtle surface modifications to more prominent deformations. Such form-giving processes were captured in real time by three Kinect sensors, offering a distinct digital raw material that can be conveniently manipulated and translated into architectural simulations, validating the method as a new way to inform soft architectural design processes. The findings showed that: 1) the direct experience of collaboratively interacting with a soft and elastic interface allows the identification of the dynamic qualities of the material in relation to oneself and others, facilitating an immediate spatial meaning-making process; 2) exploring the design of a soft and elastic space through choreography and motion capture technology contributes to the creation of augmented relational scales across physical and digital realms, proposing a new hybrid design method; 3) the soft and elastic interface becomes a new entity when shaped by the body (textile-body ontology) giving the opportunity for a variety of formal expressions and offering a source of digital raw material for architectural design.

A polymer is described that is conductive and stretchable, which can lead to electronics that can conform to the human body., Previous breakthroughs in stretchable electronics stem from strain engineering and nanocomposite approaches. Routes toward intrinsically stretchable molecular materials remain scarce but, if successful, will enable simpler fabrication processes, such as direct printing and coating, mechanically robust devices, and more intimate contact with objects. We report a highly stretchable conducting polymer, realized with a range of enhancers that serve a dual function: (i) they change morphology and (ii) they act as conductivity-enhancing dopants in poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS). The polymer films exhibit conductivities comparable to the best reported values for PEDOT:PSS, with over 3100 S/cm under 0% strain and over 4100 S/cm under 100% strain—among the highest for reported stretchable conductors. It is highly durable under cyclic loading, with the conductivity maintained at 3600 S/cm even after 1000 cycles to 100% strain. The conductivity remained above 100 S/cm under 600% strain, with a fracture strain of 800%, which is superior to even the best silver nanowire– or carbon nanotube–based stretchable conductor films. The combination of excellent electrical and mechanical properties allowed it to serve as interconnects for field-effect transistor arrays with a device density that is five times higher than typical lithographically patterned wavy interconnects.

Nanofillers (NF) in microfibrillar composites support melt-drawing and may lead to improved performance. However, antagonistic effects have also been found. The deterioration of mechanical properties by drawing in the presence of NF, as found by other authors in analogous undrawn systems, has not yet been explained. Experiments indicating the importance of NF migration between the HDPE matrix and the PA6 fibrils in the course of drawing have led to a tentative conclusion of changed crystallinity in the interfacial area resulting in a layer with reduced modulus. This was confirmed by the finite element analysis considering the formation of a “soft” interface as a result of reduced content of HDPE spherulites at the fiber surfaces. The results show a marked impact of this phenomenon on modulus. This original concept presents a basis for explaining some antagonistic effects in multicomponent polymer systems and a tool for the more rational design of composite materials. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2017

Blowing bubbles: Hydrogen evolution by proton reduction with [(C5Me5)2Fe] occurs at a soft interface between water and 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE). The reaction proceeds by proton transfer assisted by [(C5Me5)2Fe] across the water–DCE interface with subsequent proton reduction in DCE. The interface essentially acts as a proton pump, allowing hydrogen evolution by directly using the aqueous proton.

To analyze the stability of dynamic control through asoft interface-the viscoelastic material between a manipulating finger and a manipulated object- we model dynamic control through the soft interface in continuous-discrete time. We then formulate dynamics using a modified z-transform in continuous-discrete time for feedback and feedforward control. We show that system stability depends on the viscoelasticity of the soft interface for feedback control. The relationship between material viscosity and sampling time in critical stability is not monotonous, a phenomenon we analyze by root locus. We compare stability analysis by the modified z-transform, simulations based on the Runge-Kutta method, and a regular z-transform, demonstrating that the relationship is specific to a continuous-discrete time.

We investigate excluded-volume effects in a bidisperse colloidal suspension near a flexible interface. Inspired by a recent experiment by Dinsmore et al. (Phys. Rev, Lett. 80, 409 (1998)), we study the adsorption of a mesoscopic bead on the surface and show that depletion forces could in principle lead to particle encapsulation. We then consider the effect of surface fluctuations on the depletion potential itself and construct the density profile of a polymer solution near a soft interface. Surprisingly we find that the chains accumulate at the wall, whereas the density displays a deficit of particles at distances larger than the surface roughness. This non-monotonic behavior demonstrates that surface fluctuations can have major repercusions on the properties of a colloidal solution. On average, the additional contribution to the Gibbs adsorbance is negative. The amplitude of the depletion potential between a mesoscopic bead and the surface increases accordingly., 10 pages, 5 figures

To study about a creation of an action, we must study the mental and physical functions that create the action. Therefore, we focused on a rhythm controller that incorporated ambiguity in the relationship between the controller input and avatar motion, because determining this relationship requires the involvement of both mental and physical functions. In this study, we examined how controller manipulation methods changed when subjects performed similar avatar movements in different situations using the rhythm controller. From the results, we show that a regression plane by which the controller manipulation method (the relationship between the controller input and avatar motion) is approximated varies with the situation. Furthermore, we found that differences in intention could be expressed in the controller manipulation method. These show that the controller manipulation method of the rhythm controller flexibly changes depending on the situation, and is closely connected with the meaning of the action.

International audience; In this paper an interface model accounting for roughness and micro-cracks is presented and applied to masonry-like structures. The model is consistently derived by coupling a homogenization approach and arguments of asymptotic analyses. A numerical procedure is introduced and numerical results, based on a finite element formulation, are successfully compared with experimental data , obtained on masonry samples undergoing to shear tests. Finally, a parametric numerical analysis is proposed, highlighting the influence of the roughness features on the interface response.

We report the first demonstration of interfacial tension monitoring across two immiscible liquids using electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD). Impedance measurement during EWOD reveals the variation of surfactant concentration at the liquid-liquid interface in real time. The discrepancy with optical method was within 3.5 mN/m and the noise level was under 0.5 mN/m. We also show such approach can be used for label-free monitoring of DNA hybridization. Our approach opens a new horizon of EWOD used as a molecular sensing mechanism across a “soft” interface between liquids.

We present a sensing technology and input method that uses skin deformation estimated through a thin band-type device attached to the human body, the appearance of which seems socially acceptable in daily life. An input interface usually requires feedback. SenSkin provides tactile feedback that enables users to know which part of the skin they are touching in order to issue commands. The user, having found an acceptable area before beginning the input operation, can continue to input commands without receiving explicit feedback. We developed an experimental device with two armbands to sense three-dimensional pressure applied to the skin. Sensing tangential force on uncovered skin without haptic obstacles has not previously been achieved. SenSkin is also novel in that quantitative tangential force applied to the skin, such as that of the forearm or fingers, is measured. An infrared (IR) reflective sensor is used since its durability and inexpensiveness make it suitable for everyday human sensing purposes. The multiple sensors located on the two armbands allow the tangential and normal force applied to the skin dimension to be sensed. The input command is learned and recognized using a Support Vector Machine (SVM). Finally, we show an application in which this input method is implemented.

The behavior of a simple coupled oscillator model for a reaction-diffusion-chemotaxis system is examined wish respect to the morphogenesis of the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum. We explain how the intrinsic difference in the oscillation frequency of secreted chemoattractant gives rise to an anterior-posterior polarity which could drive the migration of a pseudoplasmodium. The phase locking and migration of oscillators and their implication to a phenomenological soft-interface are discussed.

Brillouin light scattering was applied to measure the evolution of spin waves in exchange-coupled [Co/Pd]-NiFe films with out-of-plane/in-plane magnetic anisotropy. Tunable tilting of the magnetization has important effects on the spin wave frequency gap: a substantial increase is observed with decreasing the soft NiFe thickness, while seemingly insignificant tilting angles cause a strong reduction with respect to a film with only the hard [Co/Pd] component. The spin wave frequency is reproduced also in samples, with increased thickness of the upper Pd layer, where a sudden modification in the tilting at the hard/soft interface is caused by the weakening of interlayer exchange.