Robots that can move, feel, and respond like organisms will bring revolutionary impact to today's technologies. Soft robots with organism‐like adaptive bodies have shown great potential in vast ...robot–human and robot–environment applications. Developing skin‐like sensory devices allows them to naturally sense and interact with environment. Also, it would be better if the capabilities to feel can be active, like real skin. However, challenges in the complicated structures, incompatible moduli, poor stretchability and sensitivity, large driving voltage, and power dissipation hinder applicability of conventional technologies. Here, various actively perceivable and responsive soft robots are enabled by self‐powered active triboelectric robotic skins (tribo‐skins) that simultaneously possess excellent stretchability and excellent sensitivity in the low‐pressure regime. The tribo‐skins can actively sense proximity, contact, and pressure to external stimuli via self‐generating electricity. The driving energy comes from a natural triboelectrification effect involving the cooperation of contact electrification and electrostatic induction. The perfect integration of the tribo‐skins and soft actuators enables soft robots to perform various actively sensing and interactive tasks including actively perceiving their muscle motions, working states, textile's dampness, and even subtle human physiological signals. Moreover, the self‐generating signals can drive optoelectronic devices for visual communication and be processed for diverse sophisticated uses.
Actively perceiving and responsive soft robots that can use the triboelectric effect and self‐generating electricity to sense and respond to stimuli are demonstrated. They are enabled by self‐powered and highly stretchable triboelectric proximity‐ and pressure‐sensing skins. After homogeneous integration, these soft robots can actively perceive their body‐motions, working states, environment stimuli, baby diaper conditions, and even human pulses by self‐generating electricity.
Power and electronic components that are self‐healable, deformable, transparent, and self‐powered are highly desirable for next‐generation energy/electronic/robotic applications. Here, an ...energy‐harvesting triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) that combines the above features is demonstrated, which can serve not only as a power source but also as self‐powered electronic skin. This is the first time that both of the triboelectric‐charged layer and electrode of the TENG are intrinsically and autonomously self‐healable at ambient conditions. Additionally, comparing with previous partially healable TENGs, its fast healing time (30 min, 100% efficiency at 900% strain), high transparency (88.6%), and inherent superstretchability (>900%) are much more favorable. It consists of a metal‐coordinated polymer as the triboelectrically charged layer and hydrogen‐bonded ionic gel as the electrode. Even after 500 cutting‐and‐healing cycles or under extreme 900%‐strain, the TENG retains its functionality. The generated electricity can be used directly or stored to power commercial electronics. The TENG is further used as self‐powered tactile‐sensing skin in diverse human–machine interfaces including smart glass, an epidermal controller, and phone panel. This TENG with merits including fast ambient‐condition self‐healing, high transparency, intrinsic stretchability, and energy‐extraction and actively‐sensing abilities, can meet wide application needs ranging from deformable/portable/transparent electronics, smart interfaces, to artificial skins.
The first entirely, intrinsically, and autonomously self‐healable, highly transparent, and superstretchable triboelectric nanogenerator is developed for not only energy sources but also self‐powered electronic skins. This unprecedented triboelectric nanogenerator with energy‐extracting and activity‐sensing abilities is timely and able to usher vast emerging fields including flexible/self‐powered electronics, smart interfaces, and prosthetic and robotic skins.
Developing nimble, shape‐adaptable, conformable, and widely implementable energy harvesters with the capability to scavenge multiple renewable and ambient energy sources is highly demanded for ...distributed, remote, and wearable energy uses to meet the needs of internet of things. Here, the first single waterproof and fabric‐based multifunctional triboelectric nanogenerator (WPF‐MTENG) is presented, which can produce electricity from both natural tiny impacts (rain and wind) and body movements, and can not only serve as a flexible, adaptive, wearable, and universal energy collector but also act as a self‐powered, active, fabric‐based sensor. The working principle comes from a conjunction of contact triboelectrification and electrostatic induction during contact/separation of internal soft fabrics. The structural/material designs of the WPF‐MTENG are systematically studied to optimize its performance, and its outputs under different conditions of rain, wind, and various body movements are comprehensively investigated. Its applicability is practically demonstrated in various objects and working situations to gather ambient energy. Lastly, a WPF‐MTENG‐based keypad as self‐powered human–system interfaces is demonstrated on a garment for remotely controlling a music‐player system. This multifunctional WPF‐MTENG, which is as flexible as clothes, not only presents a promising step toward democratic collections of alternative energy but also provides a new vision for wearable technologies.
The first waterproof fabric‐based multifunctional triboelectric nanogenerator that can produce electricity from natural tiny impacts (rains and winds) and body movements is presented. It can not only serve as a flexible, adaptive, wearable, and universal energy collector but also act as a self‐powered fabric‐based interface. This multifunctional yet nimble nanogenerator can provide new vision for decentralized, remote, and wearable energy technologies.
Electronics based on layered indium selenide (InSe) channels exhibit promising carrier mobility and switching characteristics. Here, an InSe tribotronic transistor (denoted as w/In InSe T‐FET) ...obtained through the vertical combination of an In‐doped InSe transistor and triboelectric nanogenerator is demonstrated. The w/In InSe T‐FET can be operated by adjusting the distance between two triboelectrification layers, which generates a negative electrostatic potential that serves as a gate voltage to tune the charge carrier transport behavior of the InSe channel. Benefiting from the surface charging doping of the In layer, the w/In InSe T‐FET exhibits high reliability and sensitivity with a large on/off current modulation of 106 under a low drain–source voltage of 0.1 V and external frictional force. To demonstrate its function as a power‐saving tactile sensor, the w/In InSe T‐FET is used to sense “INSE” in Morse code and power on a light‐emitting diode. This work reveals the promise of 2D material–based tribotronics for use in nanosensors with low power consumption as well as in intelligent systems.
A highly tactile‐sensitive (106 signal modulation) tribotronic transistor with a low operating voltage (0.1 V) and low power consumption is developed. The tribotronic transistor consists of the vertical combination of an In‐doped InSe transistor and triboelectric nanogenerator. This work demonstrates the promise of 2D material–based tribotronics for use in sensors and intelligent systems with low power consumption.
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.
Wearable/stretchable electronics and e-textiles require power. Meanwhile, luminescence is an important functionality to wearables for illumination, energy saving, identification and manipulation in ...the dark, and safety during nocturnal activities. Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are promising power suppliers and self-powered sensors. However, the instant TENG electricity can only produce transient luminescence, and the energy required for luminescence consumes the energy reserved for other electronics. Inspired by bioluminescent Mycena chlorophos, a self-luminescing and energy-harvesting triboelectric fiber (SLEH-TF) is proposed as a wearable energy provider, self-powered sensor, and human–device interface. It comprises a conducting thread clad in an elastic phosphorescent triboelectric composite and can be knitted into a large-area highly stretchable (> 100% strain) textile for sustainably powering gadgets. It can convert biomechanical energy into available electricity (Voc = 15 V and Isc = 500 nA from a 5-cm SLEH-TF; Voc = 250 V and Isc = 80 μA from a palm-sized SLEH-TF textile) and simultaneously emit long-lasting visible light (50 mcd m−2 for > 120 min) after a short exposure to daylight (5 min). Furthermore, SLEH-TF can be used for detecting pressure (with sensitivity of 11.48 V N−1 and 119.54 nA N−1 (<1 N)), touch, and gestures via self-generating electricity. Finally, system-level smart clothes using the newly-designed fibers are presented. The seamless integration of luminescence into energy-harvesting fabrics can advance the development of autonomous wearable accessories.
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Mycena chlorophos-inspired autoluminescent triboelectric fibers that can convert biomechanical energy into available electricity and simultaneously emit persistent visible light (50 mcd m−2 for >120 min) have been demonstrated for use as wearable power providers, self-powered sensors, and human–device interfaces. The newly-designed self-luminescent and energy-harvesting fiber can address the long-lasting challenge in self-sufficient wearable/soft technology, smart textiles, and interactive interfaces.
•A Mycena chlorophos-inspired autoluminescent energy-harvesting triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) fiber can convert biomechanical energy into available electricity and simultaneously emit long-lasting visible light.•The self-luminescent triboelectric fiber can maximize visibility and safety in night activity, while simultaneously conserving the energy harvested from body motions for other wearable gadgets and sensing activities.•The Mycena chlorophos-inspired triboelectric fibers have been demonstrated as self-powered sensors for recognizing digital coding and identifying gestures via self-generating electricity.•The newly-designed triboelectric fibers can be served as wearable luminescent human–device interface that enable easy discernibility at night, being convenient for accurate operation.
Efficient carrier extraction is essential for high performance optoelectronic devices, such as solar cells and photodetectors. Conventional strategies to separate photogenerated carriers typically ...involve the fabrication of a p-n junction by doping and the use of carrier selective charge transport layers. However, these techniques often require high temperature processes or costly materials. In this work, we demonstrate an innovative and simple approach of extracting photogenerated carriers from organometallic halide perovskites utilizing triboelectricity. The triboelectric device can be easily fabricated at low temperature using inexpensive materials on plastic substrates, enabling it to be readily integrated into self-powered optoelectronic devices. As a proof-of-concept, we fabricated a triboelectrics-assisted perovskite photodetector, which enabled us to study the surface charges generated using different electrical contacts and bending conditions performed by the device. With the assistance of a triboelectric charge-induced electric field, the photocurrent and transient photoresponses were significantly enhanced. Furthermore, we integrated the plastic triboelectric device with a flexible photodetector to demonstrate this carrier collection approach in flexible/wearable electronics. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first report of carrier extraction in organometallic halide perovskite photodetector by triboelectric charges, demonstrating a potential use for carrier extraction in other semiconductor-based optoeletronic devices.
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●We demonstrate a novel approach to extract photo-generated carriers from an organometallic halide perovskite PD by triboelectricity generated by harvesting mechanical energy.●We study and verify the working principle of photo-carrier extraction by such an approach by a series of electrical characterization.●We demonstrate the modulation of photoresponse of a perovskite PD by mechanical bending of the triboelectric generator.●This work not only presents an innovative approach to realize photo-carrier extraction by triboelectricity from mechanical motion, but also demonstrates carrier transport layer-free optoelectronic devices for potentially more simple and stable devices.
Tribotronics is believed to be a promising technology to drive electronics by external stimulation. In article number 1809119, Wenwu Li, Yen‐Fu Lin, Ying‐Chih Lai, and co‐workers demonstrate a ...low‐voltage operational, integratable, powering saving, and high sensitivity tactile sensor based on a InSe tribotronic transistor. The ultrahigh on/off current modulation and extraordinarily low operation voltage of the 2D‐layered user‐interactive system set new records for smart tribotronics, which could benefit the progress of 2D material devices for potential applications in smart interfaces.
Self-healing technology promises a generation of innovation in cross-cutting subjects ranging from electronic skins, to wearable electronics, to point-of-care biomedical sensing modules. Recently, ...scientists have successfully pulled off significant advances in self-healing components including sensors, energy devices, transistors, and even integrated circuits. Lasers, one of the most important light sources, integrated with autonomous self-healability should be endowed with more functionalities and opportunities; however, the study of self-healing lasers is absent in all published reports. Here, the soft and self-healable random laser (SSRL) is presented. The SSRL can not only endure extreme external strain but also withstand several cutting/healing test cycles. Particularly, the damaged SSRL enables its functionality to be restored within just few minutes without the need of additional energy, chemical/electrical agents, or other healing stimuli, truly exhibiting a supple yet robust laser prototype. It is believed that SSRL can serve as a vital building block for next-generation laser technology as well as follow-on self-healing optoelectronics.
In article number 1904626, Ying‐Chih Lai, Ho‐Hsiu Chou, and co‐workers develop an entirely, intrinsically, and autonomously self‐healable, highly transparent, and super‐stretchable nanogenerator that ...can act as not only an energy harvester but also a self‐powered electronic skin. This unprecedented device with energy‐extracting and activity‐sensing abilities is timely and able to advance vast emerging fields including self‐powered electronics, human‐interactive interfaces, and prosthetic and robotic skins.
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