Pub Date : 2026-02-11DOI: 10.1007/s40820-026-02103-0
Karthikeyan Munirathinam, Longlong Li, Arunkumar Shanmugasundaram, Jongsung Park, Dong-Weon Lee
Human–machine interface (HMI) systems require energy harvesters that can operate efficiently under low contact forces, yet conventional tactile triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) suffer from low surface charge density and unstable output. Here, we propose a human skin electric field-induced air-breakdown TENG (AB-TENG) with a transistor-inspired architecture. The device employs a base terminal to collect electrons from human skin via an ionized air channel formed by air breakdown, enabling efficient conversion of the skin’s electric field through two operational modes: indirect (accumulated output) and direct (instant high output). In direct mode, the AB-TENG delivers 165 V at 2 N and 290 V at 24 N, with a peak power of 22 mW—22 times higher than conventional tactile TENGs. Practical utility is demonstrated through a self-powered infrared remote control and an ultrathin keyboard. This work establishes a new design paradigm that transforms air breakdown from a limitation into a functional mechanism, advancing skin-electricity-enhanced thin-film TENGs toward next-generation self-sustaining HMI platforms.
{"title":"Air-Breakdown Triboelectric Nanogenerator Inspired by Transistor Architecture for Low-Force Human–Machine Interfaces","authors":"Karthikeyan Munirathinam, Longlong Li, Arunkumar Shanmugasundaram, Jongsung Park, Dong-Weon Lee","doi":"10.1007/s40820-026-02103-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40820-026-02103-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Human–machine interface (HMI) systems require energy harvesters that can operate efficiently under low contact forces, yet conventional tactile triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) suffer from low surface charge density and unstable output. Here, we propose a human skin electric field-induced air-breakdown TENG (AB-TENG) with a transistor-inspired architecture. The device employs a base terminal to collect electrons from human skin via an ionized air channel formed by air breakdown, enabling efficient conversion of the skin’s electric field through two operational modes: indirect (accumulated output) and direct (instant high output). In direct mode, the AB-TENG delivers 165 V at 2 N and 290 V at 24 N, with a peak power of 22 mW—22 times higher than conventional tactile TENGs. Practical utility is demonstrated through a self-powered infrared remote control and an ultrathin keyboard. This work establishes a new design paradigm that transforms air breakdown from a limitation into a functional mechanism, advancing skin-electricity-enhanced thin-film TENGs toward next-generation self-sustaining HMI platforms.</p><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":714,"journal":{"name":"Nano-Micro Letters","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":36.3,"publicationDate":"2026-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12891284/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146155540","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The rapid advancement of naturally microstructure-bioinspired flexible sensors has sparked interest in creating multifunctional systems for human–computer interaction (HCI). However, most existing biomimetic sensors struggle to integrate multiple sensing modes, limiting their practical applications. Herein, this study proposes a design concept for a fully biomimetic sensor. By employing hybrid manufacturing techniques to achieve layer-by-layer biomimicry of the natural layered structure of eggshells, a flexible sensor with multiple sensing modes is developed. The eggshell-inspired multifunctional hybrid flexible sensor (EMHFS) incorporates four functional layers: a triboelectric layer for noncontact sensing, a piezoresistive layer for pressure sensing, and hydrophilic–hydrophobic layers for directional moisture wicking, breathability, and antibacterial properties. The eggshell-inspired structure enables synergistic functionality, allowing seamless switching between contact and noncontact sensing modes. EMHFS demonstrates exceptional performance in multimodal HCI applications, including gesture-controlled robotic hands, wearable unmanned aerial vehicle control systems, and touchless screen password and gesture unlocking, while also exhibiting remarkable sensitivity to weak physiological signals such as breathing and pulse. This fully biomimetic approach offers a novel solution for advanced, flexible, and multifunctional HCI devices.
{"title":"A Fully Biomimetic Flexible Sensor Inspired by the Natural Layered Structure of Eggshells for Multimodal Human–Computer Interaction","authors":"Weiwei He, Yanzhen Zhang, Puye Zhang, Yunlong Liu, Guanyang Wu, Boce Xue, Guoqing Hu, Runsheng Li, Chao Zheng, Dongzhi Zhang","doi":"10.1007/s40820-026-02101-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40820-026-02101-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The rapid advancement of naturally microstructure-bioinspired flexible sensors has sparked interest in creating multifunctional systems for human–computer interaction (HCI). However, most existing biomimetic sensors struggle to integrate multiple sensing modes, limiting their practical applications. Herein, this study proposes a design concept for a fully biomimetic sensor. By employing hybrid manufacturing techniques to achieve layer-by-layer biomimicry of the natural layered structure of eggshells, a flexible sensor with multiple sensing modes is developed. The eggshell-inspired multifunctional hybrid flexible sensor (EMHFS) incorporates four functional layers: a triboelectric layer for noncontact sensing, a piezoresistive layer for pressure sensing, and hydrophilic–hydrophobic layers for directional moisture wicking, breathability, and antibacterial properties. The eggshell-inspired structure enables synergistic functionality, allowing seamless switching between contact and noncontact sensing modes. EMHFS demonstrates exceptional performance in multimodal HCI applications, including gesture-controlled robotic hands, wearable unmanned aerial vehicle control systems, and touchless screen password and gesture unlocking, while also exhibiting remarkable sensitivity to weak physiological signals such as breathing and pulse. This fully biomimetic approach offers a novel solution for advanced, flexible, and multifunctional HCI devices.</p>","PeriodicalId":714,"journal":{"name":"Nano-Micro Letters","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":36.3,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12886703/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146140695","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}