Publication

NMSL Lab

Publication

Deep Learning‑Assisted Organogel Pressure Sensor for Alphabet Recognition and Bio‑Mechanical Motion Monitoring
Author
Kusum Sharma, Kousik Bhunia, Subhajit Chatterjee, Muthukumar Perumalsamy, Anandhan Ayyappan Saj, Theophilus Bhatti, Yung-Cheol Byun & Sang-Jae Kim
Journal
Nano-Micro Letters
Status
Volume 18, Issue 1
Page
63
Year
2025

Abstract

Wearable sensors integrated with deep learning techniques have the potential to revolutionize seamless human–machine interfaces for real-time health monitoring, clinical diagnosis, and robotic applications. Nevertheless, it remains a critical challenge to simultaneously achieve desirable mechanical and electrical performance along with biocompatibility, adhesion, self-healing, and environmental robustness with excellent sensing metrics. Herein, we report a multifunctional, anti–freezing, selfadhesive, and self-healable organogel pressure sensor composed of cobalt nanoparticle encapsulated nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (CoN CNT) embedded in a polyvinyl alcohol–gelatin (PVA/GLE) matrix. Fabricated using a binary solvent system of water and ethylene glycol (EG), the CoN CNT/PVA/GLE organogel exhibits excellent flexibility, biocompatibility, and temperature tolerance with remarkable environmental stability. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy confirms near-stable performance across a broad humidity range (40%-95% RH). Freeze-tolerant conductivity under sub-zero conditions (−20 °C) is attributed to the synergistic role of CoN CNT and EG, preserving mobility and network integrity. The CoN CNT/PVA/GLE organogel sensor exhibits high sensitivity of 5.75 kPa−1 in the detection range from 0 to 20 kPa, ideal for subtle biomechanical motion detection. A smart human–machine interface for English letter recognition using deep learning achieved 98% accuracy. The organogel sensor utility was extended to detect human gestures like finger bending, wrist motion, and throat vibration during speech.