Sensorizing objects with soft and flexible sensors based on Laser-Induced Graphene

Monitoring interaction with objects during manipulation exercises in telerehabilitation allows clinicians to make therapy more personalized and adaptive. In this study we propose to measure the contact pressure, employing a soft, thin, easily fabricated, and cost-effective sensor based on Laser-Induced Graphene. Unlike self-sensorized objects and wearable devices, the proposed sensor can be attached easily to various objects guaranteeing a great variability of exercises without causing discomfort or restricting the hand movement’s range. In addition, the versatility of the design and the materials chosen are intended to lead to a user-friendly therapy and more economically sustainable rehabilitation. The results show how the sensor can detect pressures ranging from 0 to 100 kPa with a good sensitivity, allowing a custom threshold to be set as desired. We identified three different pressure levels (low, medium and high) useful for extracting contact information with objects or controlling interactive exercises.