Holistic Q's Flashcards
Can you start by summarising your thesis?
- Analysing the state of the art. 4 main transduction categories.
- Design a sensor with key physical properties in mind
- Fabrication procedure developed based on colloidal lithography
- Basic device performance analysed
- Functionalisation process developed to be reusabl
- prototype made to display the tech
Summarise thesis in one sentence
A new transparent and flexible pressure sensor for the human-machine interface was designed, the fabrication procedure developed and the performance metrics based on the first design analysed.
What is the idea that binds your thesis together?
The idea that binds it all is the engineering challenge. How can we make transparent force sensors
What motivated you to carry out this research
Working with ROLI who had a clear engineering challenge that needed to be solved in order for them to enhance their products. Having such a tangible application really helped steer me and provide context for the work that I was doing. Always wanted to understand what goes on behind consumer technology - mobile phones etc
Love making things.
As the work continued I could see that solving the problem would require nanofabrication which was exciting and the use of newish materials - conducting polymers, 2D materials. Also that there was a commercial gap in the area that I was researching which excited me.
What are the main issues and debated in this area
Transparency is really difficult to achieve in conductive and functional devices. We tackled the transparency aspect.
Flexibility is often claimed, but true flexible sensor will not respond to flex, and so some works address this with varying fabrication methodologies such as electrospinning.
Which of the main issues does your research address?
Transparency in sensing devices
Why is the problem you have worth tackling?
Technological progress in touch interfaces.
Improve safety in cars because of XYZ
Electronic skins in robotics and prosthetics
Who has the strongest influence in the development of your subject area in theory and practice?
Zhenan Bao - Stanford
Fang Xie - Imperial - Colloidal lithography
Which are the three most important papers that relate to your thesis?
Fang Xie - Colloidal lithography
Burke and Nugent - electrochemistry of gold
Interlink electronics white paper - FSR interdigitation guide
What published work is closest to yours? How does your work differ?
Huang et al - contact resistors.
- Pyramids, CNT not PEDOT:PSS
What are the most recent major developments in your area?
Defining my area as transparent force sensors
- Christian berger - manchester (atomic mechanics) transparent graphene based membrane sensors.
- Thin film nanostars - The team of Professor Jun-Bo Yoon, PhD student Jae-Young Yoo, and Dr. Min-Ho Seo from the School of Electrical Engineering at KAIST
How did you research questions emerge?
The individual research questions emerged through the process of trying to engineer this material. Hurdles - how are we going to do this?
What were the crucial research decisions that you made?
Changing research direction from composites to pedot:pss based contact resistors
What are the strongest/weakest parts of your work/?
Strongest is the fabrication process development, and thiol coating work. Weakest is the performance characterisation and collaboration.
What would have improved your work?
A very sensitive force gauge and a very gradual motor
Who will be most interested in your work?
Anyone who is looking to make structured moulds.
- understand how to reduce the adhesion between gold and pedot:pss
- display companies
- automotive companies
What is the relevance of your work to other researchers?
Anyone who is looking to make structured moulds.
- understand how to reduce the adhesion between gold and pedot:pss
Which aspects of your work do you intend to publish and where?
The whole thing in advanced functional materials
Which of these findings are most interesting to you and why?
Thiol anti adhesion layer
What are the contributions to the knowledge of your thesis?
See word doc
What are the main achievements of your research?
Patent patent
What have you learned from the process of doing your PhD?
Cleanliness is important.
Everything is infinately complicated.
What advice would you give to a research student?
Enjoy your weekends.
Understand the literature early on
Make sure they join a team with experience in this area.
You propose future research. How would you start this?
- Fabrication methods improvement
- purpose made sensing rig - understand the perfoance in terms of degradation temperature, humidity, device longevity
- Langmuir Blodgett Trough
- Process Optimisation
- pedot:pss conductivity
- collaborate with robotics lab or electical engineering to understand how electronics can help here
