Multimodal Sensing Smart Skin System for Wide-Range and High-Sensitivity Stress Detection

In natural environments, mechanical stress interactions manifest across multiple orders of magnitude in intensity. Conventional single-mechanism mechanical sensors exhibit constrained dynamic detection ranges, presenting fundamental limitations in concurrently resolving both subtle stresses and high-intensity impacts with optimal sensitivity. This inherent constraint necessitates the development of synergistic multitransduction sensing architectures combining triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG), mechanoluminescent (ML) materials, and piezoelectric materials to achieve biomimetic smart skin systems with broad-spectrum responsiveness. Inspired by the mechanosensory capabilities of human skin, this work introduces a multimodal sensing smart skin system capable of wide-range (0-130 MPa) and high-sensitivity stress detection by combining triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) and mechanoluminescence (ML) technologies. Operating in self-powered mode, the system enables precise mechanical signal detection across this broad spectrum. The epidermal system incorporates three distinct sensing modalities that exhibit synergistic responses and mutual validation, achieving near-100% accuracy in stress identification. Extensive durability testing confirms the system's robustness, withstanding over 10,000 impact cycles without structural degradation. Its versatile performance demonstrates significant potential in spatial recognition, warning detection, and human-machine interaction.