Flexible
capacitance sensors play a key role in wearable devices,
soft robots, and the Internet of things (IoT). To realize these feasible
applications, subtle pressure detection under various conditions is
required, and it is often limited by low sensitivity. Herein, we demonstrate
a capacitive touch sensor with excellent sensing capabilities enabled
by a three-dimensional (3D) network dielectric layer, combining a
natural viscoelastic property material of thermoplastic polyurethane
(TPU) nanofibers wrapped with electrically conductive materials of
Ag nanowires (AgNWs). Taking advantage of the large deformation and
the increase of effective permittivity under the action of compression
force, the device has the characteristics of high sensitivity, fast
response time, and low detection limit. The enhanced sensing mechanism
of the 3D structures and the conductive filler have been discussed
in detail. These superior functions enable us to monitor a variety
of subtle pressure changes (pulse, airflow, and Morse code). By detecting
the pressure of fingers, a smart piano glove integrated with 10 circuits
of finger joints is made, which realizes the real-time performance
of the piano and provides the possibility for the application of intelligent
wearable electronic products such as virtual reality and human–machine
interface in the future.
The merging of humans and machines depends on the contact sensor medium used. However, this contact interaction inevitably leads to mechanical loss. Photodetectors are cutting‐edge tools in optical communication that use controlled lighting to achieve efficient signal conversion to drive mechano–optical communication systems and provide an innovative interface for the Internet of Things services. Here, a self‐powered, non‐contact mechano–optical communication system based on a wearable Te@TeSe photodetector textile is presented, which encodes near‐infrared light to modulate robotic manipulator actions. The wearable Te@TeSe photodetector textile enhanced the photocurrent and responsivity by 400 times compared to a pristine Te nanowire (NW) array. The type II heterojunction of Te@TeSe NWs is proved by first‐principles calculations and simulated, providing insights on photogenic carrier transmission in Te@TeSe NWs. This system shows the possibility of duplicate real‐time execution of mechanical gestures in virtual environments and paves the way for advanced optical devices applied to information transmission and mechano–optical communication.
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