Energy Autonomous Electronic Skin with Direct Temperature-Pressure Perception

Abstract

Mimicking multiple perceptions of human skin is a basic requirement for artificial intelligence electronic skin (e-skin) perception. Despite significant advances in e-skin for multifunctional sensing, achieving self-powered and truly distinguishing between different stimulus signals still remain challenges. Here, we developed a flexible self-powered temperature-pressure dual functional e-skin (STPES) based on the coupling triboelectric and thermoelectric effects. It can effectively convert temperature and pressure stimuli into two independent voltage signals without signal interference. In addition, the temperature sensing process is powered by natural temperature gradient, with the resolution of 0.5 K and the sensitivity of 220 μV K-1. The self-powered pressure sensor based on triboelectric effect can detect the pressure over a wide range (1 Pa-100 kPa) with the maximum sensitivity of 1.394 V kPa-1. The dual-parameter e-skin attached to the robotic arm is demonstrated to detect the weight and temperature of water cup simultaneously. This work provides a promising prototype for passive multi-parameters e-skin, which has great potential for application in wearable health monitoring systems and artificial intelligence perception.

Keywords: e-skin, triboelectric, thermoelectric, pressure sensor, temperature sensor