Large-area, untethered, metamorphic, and omnidirectionally stretchable multiplexing self-powered triboelectric skins

Nat Commun. 2024 Feb 9;15(1):1238. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-45611-6.

Abstract

Large-area metamorphic stretchable sensor networks are desirable in haptic sensing and next-generation electronics. Triboelectric nanogenerator-based self-powered tactile sensors in single-electrode mode constitute one of the best solutions with ideal attributes. However, their large-area multiplexing utilizations are restricted by severe misrecognition between sensing nodes and high-density internal circuits. Here, we provide an electrical signal shielding strategy delivering a large-area multiplexing self-powered untethered triboelectric electronic skin (UTE-skin) with an ultralow misrecognition rate (0.20%). An omnidirectionally stretchable carbon black-Ecoflex composite-based shielding layer is developed to effectively attenuate electrostatic interference from wirings, guaranteeing low-level noise in sensing matrices. UTE-skin operates reliably under 100% uniaxial, 100% biaxial, and 400% isotropic strains, achieving high-quality pressure imaging and multi-touch real-time visualization. Smart gloves for tactile recognition, intelligent insoles for gait analysis, and deformable human-machine interfaces are demonstrated. This work signifies a substantial breakthrough in haptic sensing, offering solutions for the previously challenging issue of large-area multiplexing sensing arrays.

MeSH terms

  • Electricity
  • Humans
  • Touch
  • Touch Perception*
  • Wearable Electronic Devices*