Sensing Skin Detects Damage Before it Occurs

Oct-13-16 Researchers have created an electronic sensing skin that can be applied to surfaces to detect potential fractures in real time.


The sensing skin, developed by a team from North Carolina State, is made up of three layers. The first layer is electrically conductive and detects cracks, while the third layer detects both cracks and specific chemicals. In between the two sits a second layer that acts as a buffer. To use the skin, electrodes are first installed around the structure’s perimeter. The skin is applied over the electrodes, and then a computer program calculates the electrodes’ conductivity. By monitoring variances in the sensing skin’s conductivity, the team was able to detect changes that indicate damage or the presence of chemicals.

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