An international team of researchers has developed a brain-inspired electronic device that can reportedly detect moisture without physical contact while also storing information about what it senses.

The humidity-sensitive memristor can respond to moisture from a human finger positioned just 0.04 inches (one millimeter) away. It was developed by scientists from Jeju National University in South Korea, Shivaji University in India as well as Queensland University of Technology in Australia.

Made from porous nickel pyrophosphate (Ni2P2O7), an advanced nanomaterial, the memristor senses humidity and mimics functions associated with biological memory. It could find uses in touch-free human-machine interfaces, electronic skin, environmental monitoring, and soft robotics.

The team highlighted its broader significance. “What excites us most is that this device doesn’t just sense humidity, it remembers it,” the researchers explained.

A memristor (or a memory resistor), is a two-terminal electrical component that regulates current flow while remembering the amount of charge that has passed through it before. Its electrical resistance can change based on previous electrical activity.

This makes it particularly interesting for neuromorphic computing, which seeks to recreate aspects of how biological neurons and synapses process data. To explore this potential, the researchers designed a device consisting of gold, porous nickel pyrophosphate, and fluorine-doped tin oxide.

They then carried out tests at relative humidity levels from 42 to 82 percent. The results revealed that the device’s electrical behavior changed consistently as the humidity decreased. The scientists explained that water molecules adsorbed by the material modify its electronic structure.

Computer calculations showed that the presence of water narrows the material’s bandgap.

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