River valley-inspired, high-sensitivity, and rapid-response capacitive three-dimensional force tactile sensor based on U-shaped groove structure

High-performance three-dimensional force (3D-force) tactile sensors with the capability of distinguishing normal and tangential forces in sync play a vital role in emerging wearable devices and smart electronics. And there is an urgent need for 3D-force tactile sensors with fast response and high flexibility. Herein, we design a capacitive 3D-force tactile sensors inspired by the U-shaped river valley surface morphology, which has satisfactory performance in terms of rapid response/recovery time (∼36 ms/∼ 36 ms), low hysteresis (4.2%), and high sensitivity (0.487 N⁻¹). A theoretical model of general value for congener sensors is also proposed, obtaining a higher sensitivity through optimizing parameters. To verify the application potential of our device in actual scenarios, the robustness testing and gripping gamepad application were carried out. And it can recognize different motions in humans. Furthermore, principal component analysis is also conducted to demonstrate the distinct classification of different motions. Therefore, our work is eligible for the applications in wearable electronics, human–machine interaction, and soft intelligent robots.