Wide‐temperature range thermoregulating e‐skin design through a hybrid structure of flexible thermoelectric devices and phase change materials heat sink

Abstract

Abstract The realization of the thermoregulating function of electronic skin (e‐skin) by simulating the human temperature perception system can greatly improve the intelligence of the e‐skin. Here, we report a thermoregulating e‐skin that fits on the surface of a prosthetic limb based on a hybrid structure consisting of a flexible thermoelectric device and a phase‐change heat sink. The hybrid e‐skin possesses outstanding temperature adaptability similar to that of the human body; it can maintain the surface temperature at 35°C in environmental temperatures ranging from 10 to 45°C. The power expenditure of the e‐skin is essentially the same as the energy required by the human body to regulate temperature and is only 14.22 mW cm−2 in the thermoneutral zone. Thermoregulation based on this e‐skin can greatly improve the temperature distribution of the target surface, providing a promising solution for the biomimetic thermoregulation of robots and the next generation of intelligent prostheses.

Keywords

• e‐skin
• phase change material
• thermoelectric device
• thermoregulation