Abstract: A tactile sensing system includes at least a stretchable strain sensing layer, an inflatable reservoir, and a means for detecting strain in the stretchable strain sensing layer. The tactile sensing layer may be configured as a tumor detection system by configuring the inflatable reservoir to apply pressure to at least part of a tissue in conjunction with an anatomical contact structure and the stretchable strain sensing layer to be in contact with a region of the surface of the tissue.

Abstract: A pressure sensing system includes at least two pressure sensing layers. The first pressure sensing layer includes a first sensing system configured in a layer, a first layer of foam having a Young's modulus and mounted between a first sensing system configured in a layer, and a second sensing system configured in a layer; at least a second pressure sensing layer including the second sensing system configured in a layer, and a second layer of foam having a Young's modulus that is greater than the Young's modulus of the first layer of foam and mounted between the second sensing system configured in a layer and a rigid substrate having a Young's modulus greater than the layer of the first sensing system, the first layer of foam, the layer of the second sensing system, and the second layer of foam. The pressure sensing system thereby defines a multi-layer pressure sensing system.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for electrically directly detecting biomolecular binding in a semiconductor. The semiconductor can be based on electrical percolation of nanomaterial formed in the gate region. In one embodiment of an apparatus, a semiconductor includes first and second electrodes with a gate region there between. The gate region includes a multilayered matrix of electrically conductive material with capture molecules for binding target molecules, such as antibody, receptors, DNA, RNA, peptides and aptamer. The molecular interactions between the capture molecules and the target molecules disrupts the matrix's continuity resulting in a change in electrical resistance, capacitance or impedance. The increase in resistance, capacitance or impedance can be directly measured electronically, without the need for optical sensors or labels.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for electrically directly detecting biomolecular binding in a semiconductor. The semiconductor can be based on electrical percolation of nanomaterial formed in the gate region. In one embodiment of an apparatus, a semiconductor includes first and second electrodes with a gate region there between. The gate region includes a multilayered matrix of electrically conductive material with capture molecules for binding target molecules, such as antibody, receptors, DNA, RNA, peptides and aptamer. The molecular interactions between the capture molecules and the target molecules disrupts the matrix's continuity resulting in a change in electrical resistance, capacitance or impedance. The increase in resistance, capacitance or impedance can be directly measured electronically, without the need for optical sensors or labels.