Carbon nanotubes based sensing elements and system for monitoring and mapping force, strain and stress

1. A sensing system, comprising:

at least two sensing elements disposed on top of each other, each sensing element including:

a substrate;

a pair of electrodes on the substrate; and

a multidimensional network of carbon nanotubes coupled to the electrodes and applied to the substrate between the electrodes,

wherein the carbon nanotubes in the network of one of the at least two sensing elements are at least partially aligned in a first direction and the carbon nanotubes in the network of the other of the at least two sensing elements are at least partially aligned in a second direction,

wherein the multidimensional network of carbon nanotubes of one or more of the at least two sensing elements is configured for sensing strain, stress or force within the one or more of the at least two sensing elements, and

wherein the network of carbon nanotubes of the one or more of the at least two sensing elements defines at least in part an electrical path between the electrodes of the one or more of the at least two sensing elements, the electrical path having a resistance which is altered by the sensed strain, stress or force.

2. A sensing system as defined in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two sensing elements comprises a mechanically compliant layer covering the network of carbon nanotubes.

3. A sensing system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the substrate of one or more of the at least two sensing elements is made of stretchable material.

4. A sensing system as defined in claim 2 , wherein the substrate and the mechanically compliant layer of one or more of the at least two sensing elements are made of stretchable material.

5. A sensing system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the substrate of the one or more of the at least two sensing elements is mechanically coupled to a structure to detect and monitor strain, stress or force within the structure.

6. A sensing system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the substrate of the one or more of the at least two sensing elements is a bendable but non stretchable substrate for allowing the sensing element to detect and monitor bending.

7. A sensing system as defined in claim 1 , comprising a plurality of sensing elements arranged into an array on a common substrate.

8. A sensing system as defined in claim 7 , wherein the common substrate is mechanically coupled to a structure to detect and monitor strain, stress or force in that structure.

9. A sensing system as defined in claim 7 , wherein the sensing elements of the array are capped with a layer of compliant material.

10. A sensing system as defined in claim 9 , wherein the layer of mechanically compliant material is patterned.

11. A sensing system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the at least two sensing elements are separated by a compliant layer.

12. A sensing system as defined in claim 1 , wherein one or more of the at least two sensing elements comprises a two-dimensional network of carbon nanotubes.

13. A sensing system as defined in claim 1 , wherein one or more of the at least two sensing elements comprises a three-dimensional network of carbon nanotubes.

14. A sensing element comprising:

a substrate;

first and second electrodes coupled to the substrate;

a mobile structure;

a first network of carbon nanotubes extending between the first electrode and the mobile structure; and

a second network of carbon nanotubes extending between the second electrode and the mobile structure, the first and second networks being interconnected at the mobile structure, the first and second networks of carbon nanotubes defining at least partially an electrical path between the first and second electrodes,

wherein the mobile structure is offset from the first and second electrodes,

wherein at least one of the first and second networks of carbon nanotubes is configured for sensing strain, stress or force within the at least one of the first and second networks of carbon nanotubes; and

wherein the electrical path has a resistance which is altered by the sensed strain, stress or force.

15. A sensing element as defined in claim 14 , comprising an electrically conductive member on the mobile structure for interconnecting the first and second networks of carbon nanotubes.

16. A sensing element as defined in claim 14 , wherein the mobile structure is embedded in a layer compliant material which extends at least partially between the mobile structure and the first and second electrodes.

17. A sensing element as defined in claim 16 , wherein the first and second networks of carbon nanotubes are positioned at least partially on the layer of compliant material.

18. A sensing element as defined in claim 16 , wherein the first and second networks of carbon nanotubes are embedded at least partially in the compliant layer.

19. A sensing element, comprising:

a substrate;

first and second electrodes coupled to the substrate;

a mobile structure, wherein the mobile structure is offset from the first and second electrodes;

a first network of carbon nanotubes extending between the first electrode and the mobile structure;

a second network of carbon nanotubes extending between the second electrode and the mobile structure, the first and second networks being interconnected at the mobile structure; and

a plurality of non-collinear assemblies each including:

said first and second electrodes coupled to the substrate; and

said first network of carbon nanotubes extending between the first electrode and the mobile structure, and the second network of carbon nanotubes extending between the second electrode and the mobile structure, the first and second networks being interconnected at the mobile structure whereby the first and second networks of carbon nanotubes define at least partially an electrical path between the first and second electrodes.

20. A sensing system comprising a plurality of sensing elements as defined in claim 14 , wherein the plurality of sensing elements comprise a common substrate and are arranged into an array on the common substrate.