Empowering Human‐Machine Interfaces: Self‐Powered Hydrogel Sensors for Flexible and Intelligent Systems
Source abstract
Abstract
Abstract Conventional rigid human‐machine interfaces (HMIs) face significant limitations, including mechanical mismatch with human skin and dependence on batteries requiring frequent replacement/recharging, hindering seamless and biocompatible interactions. Self‐powered hydrogel sensors, characterized by properties such as energy autonomy, tunable mechanics, tissue‐like softness, and biocompatibility, have emerged as promising candidates for advancing wearable healthcare, soft robotics, and next‐generation HMIs. However, challenges encompassing long‐term cycle stability, complete energy autonomy, and adaptive smartness need to be addressed for their further development. Therefore, a systematic understanding of the development and current challenges of self‐powered hydrogel sensors as HMIs is of great importance for realizing their full potential in flexible and intelligent interaction paradigms. This paper reviews the development of self‐powered hydrogel HMIs, focusing on performance‐optimizing strategies for diverse requirements, categorization by energy generation mechanisms, key applications with emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI)‐enabled smartness, and their limitations. Finally, the challenges and future opportunities associated with self‐powered hydrogel HMIs are discussed. This review is believed to provide guidelines for advancing next‐generation HMIs that bridge energy autonomy, multimodal sensing, and AI‐enhanced responsiveness, with hydrogel sensors serving as a cornerstone.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials · Tactile and Sensory Interactions · Interactive and Immersive Displays
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Systems for Aerospace School of Mechanical Engineering Northwestern Polytechnical University Xi'an 710072 P. R. China
Shenzhen Research Institute of Northwestern Polytechnical University Sanhang Science & Technology Building No.45th, Gaoxin South 9th Road, Nanshan District Shenzhen City 518057 P. R. China
State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies and the Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Display Material and Technology School of Electronics and Information Technology Sun Yat‐sen University Guangzhou 510275 P. R. China
State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology Shanghai 200050 P. R. China
State Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (LOFE) & Institute of Flexible Electronics (IFE) Northwestern Polytechnical University 127 West Youyi Road Xi'an 710072 P. R. China
MOE Key Laboratory of Material Physics and Chemistry Under Extraordinary School of Physical Science and Technology Northwestern Polytechnical University Xi'an 710072 P. R. China
Funding
Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Program · National Natural Science Foundation of China · National Key Research and Development Program of China · Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province · Key Research and Development Projects of Shaanxi Province
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