A human skin-inspired self-powered flex sensor with thermally embossed microstructured triboelectric layers for sign language interpretation

This work presents a highly sensitive, self-powered triboelectric flex sensor (STFS) inspired by the human skin's dermis-epidermis structure. The sensor, fabricated using a facile thermal embossing technique, can efficiently detect finger bending and hand gestures. It is designed for applications in human-machine interfaces, such as real-time sign language interpretation.

• Development of a highly sensitive self-powered triboelectric flex sensor (STFS).
• Fabrication using a cost-effective, scalable, and time-efficient thermal embossing method.
• Demonstration of a real-time sign language interpretation system that converts gestures into voice and text.
• High stability demonstrated over 100,000 loading-unloading cycles.

The STFS was fabricated by imprinting randomly distributed microstructures onto triboelectric layers using emery paper and thermal embossing. The sensor's performance was characterized by its sensitivity, rise time, stability, and pressure detection range. Its practical application was demonstrated by integrating it into a glove for a sign language interpretation system connected to a smartphone app.

The sensor achieved a high sensitivity of 0.77 V/kPa, a rapid rise time of 83 ms, and excellent stability. It detects a wide pressure range from 0.2 kPa to 500 kPa. The sign language interpretation system successfully detected finger gestures and converted them into voice and text in real-time.