Flexible fabric based transistors for electromechanical sensing on 2D and 3D curved surfaces

A device comprising:

• a passive element formed of a plurality of individual layers stacked sequentially on top of each other and comprising:
• a plurality of insulating layers, each of which comprise an insulating material;
• at least one sensing layer, each of which comprise a conductive or a semi-conductive material;
• a plurality of conductive layers, each of which comprises an electrically conductive material;
• and
• at least one semi-porous layer, each of which comprises a semi-porous material;
• wherein all of the plurality of conductive layers are separated from each other by one or more of the plurality of insulating layers, one or more of the at least one sensing layer, and/or one or more of the at least one semi-porous layer;
• wherein first and second conductive layers of the plurality of conductive layers each comprise a pattern of the electrically conductive material to control the resistive, capacitive, and/or inductive characteristics of the passive element;
• the first and second conductive layers are positioned on opposite sides of the sensing layer from each other;
• the at least one semi-porous layer comprises first and second semi-porous layers;
• the first semi-porous layer is disposed between the first conductive layer and the sensing layer;
• the second semi-porous layer is disposed between the second conductive layer and the sensing layer;
• and
• the semi-porous material of each of the first and second semi-porous layers is selected to control a response time, an input dynamic range, an output dynamic range, a bandwidth, a signal-to-noise ratio, a common-noise rejection ratio, a signal gain, a sensitivity, and/or an insensitivity of the device;
• wherein at least some or all of the plurality of conductive layers are spaced apart from the at least one sensing layer by the at least one semi-porous layer;
• and
• wherein the passive element comprises one or more of resistive, capacitive, and inductive characteristics;
• a first insulating layer disposed over a top surface of the passive element;
• a second insulating layer disposed over a bottom surface of the passive element;
• and
• one or more electrically conductive threads, each of which is electromechanically attached to one of the plurality of conductive layers of the passive element and also exposed on or embedded within the first insulating layer or the second insulating layer,
• wherein the device is configured such that, by altering an input signal on at least one of the conductive materials of the one or more conductive layers, a signal from the passive element is differentially turned on or off, or enters a high-Z state via the at least one semi-porous layer,
• wherein the device is configured to enter an on state, an off state, or a high-Z state based on a direction of a stimulus applied to the device, when the direction of the stimulus is in a same direction in which the at least one semi-porous layer is positioned between one of the plurality of conductive layers and the at least one sensing layer.

A device comprising:

• a passive element formed of a plurality of individual layers stacked sequentially on top of each other and comprising:
• a plurality of insulating layers, each of which comprise an insulating material;
• at least one sensing layer, each of which comprise a conductive or a semi-conductive material;
• a plurality of conductive layers, each of which comprises an electrically conductive material;
• and
• at least one semi-porous layer, each of which comprises a semi-porous material;
• wherein all of the plurality of conductive layers are separated from each other by one or more of the plurality of insulating layers, one or more of the at least one sensing layer, and/or one or more of the at least one semi-porous layer;
• wherein at least some or all of the plurality of conductive layers are spaced apart from the at least one sensing layer by the at least one semi-porous layer;
• and
• wherein the passive element comprises one or more of resistive, capacitive, and inductive characteristics;
• a first insulating layer disposed over a top surface of the passive element;
• a second insulating layer disposed over a bottom surface of the passive element;
• and
• one or more electrically conductive threads, each of which is electromechanically attached to one of the plurality of conductive layers of the passive element and also exposed on or embedded within the first insulating layer or the second insulating layer,
• wherein the at least one sensing layer comprises a plurality of sensing layers, which are configured to differentially determine a direction of a stimulus applied to the device in any of an X-, Y-, and Z-plane,
• wherein the passive element is configured for cutting and/or folding in any of X-, Y-, and Z-directions to differentially measure a stimulus applied to the device in any of an X-, Y-, and Z-plane, respectively.