Recent Advances in P(VDF-TrFE)-Based Piezoelectric-Pyroelectric coupled Sensors for Robotic Tactile Perception

Abstract

Flexible tactile sensors capable of real-time detection of pressure, strain, temperature, and slip are important for enabling robots to achieve stable object grasping and manipulation through human skin-like tactile perception. Among various sensing technologies, self-powered sensors based on piezoelectric and pyroelectric effects directly convert mechanical and thermal stimuli into electrical signals without an external power source, providing an approach for developing miniaturized and autonomous robotic tactile systems. Poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)), a ferroelectric polymer, exhibits high flexibility, mechanical durability, and biocompatibility and is suitable for tactile sensors subjected to repeated contact and deformation. This review summarizes recent advances in P(VDF-TrFE)-based self-powered tactile sensors, including material design, device structures, sensing mechanisms, and approaches to address current challenges. Applications in gesture recognition, tactile-visualizing electronic skin, and soft object discrimination are also discussed. Finally, the remaining challenges and future research directions are outlined, with an emphasis on the potential of P(VDF-TrFE) for next-generation robotic tactile systems.