The idea is that the glove can be used for training surgeons in a simulated surgical setup. The glove track their movements and send the information to a computer. Afterwards their techniques can be analysed, making it possible to refine and improve their skills.
Small movement sensors have been available for a long time, and are used for example in the touch screens on our mobile phones. But the sensors we use today are often made of synthetic polymers covered with indium tin oxide, which is a toxic, non-biocompatible and expensive material.
As opposed to this, the sensors for the glove are made of a mix of silk and laponite (nano-clay), which together forms a stable, flexible and conductive bio-polymer. The new material has been coined SiPo. In addition, SiPo is mass-producible, inexpensive, non-toxic, and it is easily broken down to its original components for recycling.
Assistant Professor Alireza Dolatshahi-Pirouz explains that the sensors are also highly relevant for detection of human movements because of their flexibility and strength. He also sees a possibility for reducing the vast amount of electronical waste that we produce today through the use of the SiPo based sensors.
The research team has received a grant from DTU’s Proof-of-Concept fund for developing the glove. The challenge is to combine the sensors, a battery and wires on the glove without making it awkward to wear or handle.
Read more about the SiPo material in the original scientific paper in Advanced Science.
The project was also featured in Ingeniøren (in Danish only), on www.technology.org and on www.nanowerk.com