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Flexible Self-Powered Multimodal Sensor for Simultaneous Temperature, Strain, and Pressure Detection with Signal
Wenshan Cai1, Aotian Li1, Fan Zhang1
1Department of Applied Physics, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|June 1, 2026
Summary
This study introduces a flexible electronic skin sensor that precisely measures temperature, strain, and pressure simultaneously. Its novel design significantly reduces signal interference for advanced human-machine interfaces and wearables.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Sensors and Actuators
Background:
- Advanced electronic skin (E-skin) faces challenges with signal cross-coupling, limiting its precision in multimodal sensing.
- Simultaneous sensing of temperature, strain, and pressure is crucial for sophisticated E-skin applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a flexible, self-powered multimodal sensor with suppressed cross-interference for accurate simultaneous sensing.
- To investigate the thermoelectric and mechanical sensing capabilities of a novel hydrogel-PDMS heterostructure.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a heterostructure sensor using redox ion-doped thermoelectric hydrogel and BaTiO3 nanoparticle-modified PDMS.
- Systematic characterization of thermoelectric properties (Seebeck coefficient) and mechanical sensing (strain and pressure sensitivity).
- Evaluation of sensor robustness through cyclic testing and integration into a finger-joint array.
Main Results:
- Achieved exceptional cross-interference suppression (<4%) for independent signal perception.
- Demonstrated a Seebeck coefficient of 1.05 mV·K−1 and high strain (0.91%−1) and pressure (9.76 mV·kPa−1) sensitivities.
- Exhibited robust performance with only 3.03% decay after 150 cycles and an ultrafast response time of 22 ms.
Conclusions:
- The developed sensor enables high-precision, simultaneous temperature, strain, and pressure sensing with minimal cross-talk.
- Integration into a finger-joint array allows for diverse applications including gesture recognition and health monitoring.
- This work advances the development of intelligent wearables and human-machine interfaces.
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