Unlocking the Potential of MXene for Soft, Skin-Like Human-Machine Interfaces

Soft, skin-like human-machine interfaces (HMIs) revolutionize the way humans interact with machines by facilitating direct, real-time, and multimodal communication. Their ability to seamlessly adapt to the complex contours of human skin, while maintaining sensing and feedback capabilities, has opened new avenues in wearable healthcare devices, soft robotics, and augmented reality systems. The development of next-generation HMIs, however, relies on the discover and integration of advanced materials that are capable of providing high electrical conductivity, mechanical adaptability, and multifunctionality. In this context, MXenes have attracted considerable interest owing to their exceptional electrical transport properties, versatile surface chemistries, and inherent flexibility, making them particularly attractive for soft HMIs. This review presents a comprehensive and critical overview of the latest advancements in MXene-based soft skin-like HMIs. Various synthesis strategies are critically highlighted that position MXenes at the forefront of HMI material design. Importantly, this article highlights MXene-enabled human-machine interfaces in three broad domains: soft skin-like MXene-based human-to-machine interfaces, including pressure, strain, and temperature; soft skin-like MXene-based machine-to-human interfaces, including actuators; and MXene in advanced HMI applications. Importantly, recent innovations aimed at enhancing the stretchability, self-healability, and durability of MXene-based HMIs are comprehensively emphasized. Finally, key challenges and prospective research directions necessary to unlock the intrinsic potential of the MXene-based soft systems for advanced, adaptive, and intelligent HMIs are outlined.