Published on 03 Oct 2024

P&G, A*STAR and NTU Developed Singapore's First Wearable Sensor for Real-Time Skin Feel Measurement

Professor Chen Xiaodong, President’s Chair in Materials Science and Engineering, has been featured in an interview with Personal Care Insights. The interview highlighted his HapSense technology, developed in collaboration with P&G Singapore Innovation Centre (SgIC) and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). This interview feature follows the press release in April 2024, which featured the unveiling of HapSense at P&G SgIC’s 10^th Anniversary celebration.

From left: Dr Liu Zhihua from A*STAR, Prof Chen Xiaodong from NTU Singapore, and Dr Susan Gong from P&G Singapore Innovation Centre with the HapSense device (photo credit: NTU Singapore)

HapSense – Revolutionising Skincare Industry

HapSense is a revolutionary wearable sensor designed to accelerate and improve skincare cosmetic product testing. The patent-pending device represents a significant advancement in the field of flexible electronics. Worn on the fingertip, HapSense captures precise real-time skin friction and pressure data, enabling faster and more objective product testing.

Professor Chen explained in the interview: "HapSense is an innovative wearable skin sensor designed to revolutionise skin care product analysis. Its primary role is to provide scientists with precise, objective measurements of tactile sensations, such as friction and pressure, on the skin."

This innovative device, shaped like a signet ring and attached to a smartwatch-like module, can analyse the effects of skincare products on human skin up to 10 times faster than conventional methods. It offers a more reliable and reproducible alternative to traditional subjective human panel assessments.

Implications for the Personal Care Industry and Beyond
HapSense has far-reaching potential applications in the personal care industry and beyond. As Professor Chen noted in his interview, HapSense has the potential to:

Understand consumer-preferred tactile sensory profiles across various demographics
Track skin changes in response to product treatments
Recommend personalised skin care regimens
Improve product formulations in R&D
Support quality control in manufacturing

Moreover, the technology’s potential extends beyond skincare to other fields, such as fabric and hair care.

The development of HapSense is a testament to the collaborative efforts between academia and industry. It reinforces the University and School’s commitment to developing technologies with real-world applications and significant industry impact. As highlighted in the press release, the innovation resulted from a decade-long research and development in partnership with P&G and A*STAR.

What’s Next?

Looking ahead, Professor Chen shared about the exciting plans for commercialisation: "The team’s next steps in commercialising HapSense will further collaboration with P&G to refine the device for large-scale use […] NTU and A*STAR are also looking to spin off a company, scaling up production to HapSense available for commercial use. The device’s ability to collect large amounts of consistent data could also lead to the development of big data analytics tools that can enhance its applications.”

Media Coverage:

School of Materials Science and Engineering

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