Semiconducting nanostructures such as nanowires (NWs) have been used as building blocks for various types of sensors, energy storage and generation devices, electronic devices and for new manufacturing methods involving printed NWs. The response of these sensing/energy/electronic components and the new fabrication methods depends very much on the quality of NWs and for this reason it is important to understand the growth mechanism of 1D semiconducting nanostructures. This is also important to understand the compatibility of NW growth steps and tools used in the process with these unconventional substrates such as plastic that are used in flexible and large area electronics. Therefore, this Element presents at length discussion about the growth mechanisms, growth conditions and the tools used for the synthesis of NWs. Although NWs from Si, ZnO and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are included, the discussion is generic and relevant to several other types of NWs as well as heterostructures.

Advanced nanostructured materials such as organic and inorganic micro/nanostructures are excellent building blocks for electronics, optoelectronics, sensing, and photovoltaics because of their high-crystallinity, long aspect-ratio, high surface-to-volume ratio, and low dimensionality. However, their assembly over large areas and integration in functional circuits are a matter of intensive investigation. This Element provides detailed description of various technologies to realize micro/nanostructures based large-area electronics (LAE) devices on rigid or flexible/stretchable substrates. The first section of this Element provides an introduction to the state-of-the-art integration techniques used to fabricate LAE devices based on different kind of micro/nanostructures. The second section describes inorganic and organic micro/nanostructures, including most common and promising synthesis procedures. In the third section,different techniques are explained that have great potential for integration of micro/nanostructures over large areas. Finally, the fourth section summarizes important remarks about LAE devices based on micro/nanostructures, and future directions.

Robots have come a long way thanks to advances in sensing and computer vision technologies and can be found today in healthcare, medicine and industry. Researchers have been looking at providing them with senses such as the ability to see, smell, hear and perceive touch in order to mimic and interact with humans and their surrounding environments. Topics covered in this edited book include various types of sensors used in robotics, sensing schemes (e-skin, tactile skin, e-nose, neuromorphic vision and touch), sensing technologies and their applications including healthcare, prosthetics, robotics and wearables. This book will appeal to researchers, scientists, engineers, and graduate and advanced students working in robotics, sensor technologies and electronics, and their applications in robotics, haptics, prosthetics, wearable and interactive systems, cognitive engineering, neuro-engineering, computational neuroscience, medicine and healthcare technologies.

Stretchable electronics is one of the transformative pillars of future flexible electronics. As a result, the research on new passive and active materials, novel designs, and engineering approaches has attracted significant interest. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of new approaches that enable the integration of high-performance materials, including, organic and inorganic compounds, carbon-based and layered materials, and composites to serve as conductors, semiconductors or insulators, with the ability to accommodate electronics on stretchable substrates. This Element presents a discussion about the strategies that have been developed for obtaining stretchable systems, with a focus on various stretchable geometries to achieve strain invariant electrical response, and summarises the recent advances in terms of material research, various integration techniques of high-performance electronics. In addition, some of the applications, challenges and opportunities associated with the development of stretchable electronics are discussed.

A thorough and up-to-date introduction to solid-state sensors, materials, fabrication processes, and applications Solid-State Sensors provides a comprehensive introduction to the field, covering fundamental principles, underlying theories, sensor materials, fabrication technologies, current and possible future applications, and more. Presented in a clear and accessible format, this reader-friendly textbook describes the fundamentals and classification of all major types of solid-state sensors, including piezoresistive, capacitive, thermometric, optical bio-chemical, magnetic, and acoustic-based sensors. Throughout the text, the authors offer insight into how different solid-state methods complement each other as well as their respective advantages and disadvantages in relation to specific devices and a variety of state-of-the-art applications. Detailed yet concise chapters include numerous visual illustrations and comparative tables of different subtypes of sensors for a given application. With in-depth discussion of recent developments, current research, and key challenges in the field of solid-state sensors, this volume: Describes solid-state sensing parameters and their importance in sensor characterization Explores possible future applications and breakthroughs in associated fields of research Covers the fundamental principles and relevant equations of sensing phenomena Discusses promising smart materials that have the potential for sensing applications Includes an overview of the history, classification, and terminology of sensors With well-balanced coverage of the fundamentals of sensor design, current and emerging applications, and the most recent research developments in the field, Solid-State Sensors is an excellent textbook for advanced students and professionals in disciplines such as Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, and Biomedical Engineering.