iSkin

TLDR

The authors propose iSkin, a novel class of skin‑worn sensors enabling touch input directly on the body. iSkin is a thin, biocompatible, flexible, and stretchable sensor overlay that can be fabricated in various shapes and sizes to fit different body locations. The prototype demonstrates reliable capacitive‑resistive touch sensing with two pressure levels even when stretched 30 % or bent to a 0.5 cm radius, supports single or multiple custom‑shaped touch areas and complex widgets, and enables new on‑body devices such as finger‑worn units, wearable extensions, and touch‑input stickers.

Abstract

We propose iSkin, a novel class of skin-worn sensors for touch input on the body. iSkin is a very thin sensor overlay, made of biocompatible materials, and is flexible and stretchable. It can be produced in different shapes and sizes to suit various locations of the body such as the finger, forearm, or ear. Integrating capacitive and resistive touch sensing, the sensor is capable of detecting touch input with two levels of pressure, even when stretched by 30% or when bent with a radius of 0.5cm. Furthermore, iSkin supports single or multiple touch areas of custom shape and arrangement, as well as more complex widgets, such as sliders and click wheels. Recognizing the social importance of skin, we show visual design patterns to customize functional touch sensors and allow for a visually aesthetic appearance. Taken together, these contributions enable new types of on-body devices. This includes finger-worn devices, extensions to conventional wearable devices, and touch input stickers, all fostering direct, quick, and discreet input for mobile computing.