A breathing electronic skin for long-term health monitoring and intelligent interaction

Wearable electronic skins (e-skins) are emerging as promising platforms for continuous health monitoring, human–machine interaction, and intelligent robotics. However, maintaining reliable performance during long-term use remains challenging. Sweat accumulation between the skin and electronic devices can cause discomfort, interfere with signal acquisition, and even lead to interface failure. Therefore, developing e-skins that can effectively manage moisture while maintaining flexibility and stable sensing performance is critical for future wearable technologies.
To address this challenge, researchers from Beijing Institute of Technology looked to nature for a solution. The pitcher plant (Nepenthes) possesses a unique surface structure that enables directional liquid transport through asymmetric capillary forces, allowing efficient movement of liquid while preventing backflow. Inspired by this natural liquid-management strategy, the team developed an intelligent breathing electronic skin (SPTL) capable of actively regulating moisture at the skin–device interface.

The SPTL e-skin adopts a Janus bilayer structure consisting of a hydrophobic styrene–butadiene–styrene (SBS) layer and a hydrophilic polyacrylonitrile/thermoplastic polyurethane (PAN/TPU) layer. The difference in surface wettability between the two layers creates a “liquid diode” effect, allowing sweat to move outward from the skin side while preventing external moisture from penetrating inward. As a result, the device achieves a one-way moisture transport index of 956.36, helping maintain a stable and dry interface even under intensive sweating conditions.
Beyond moisture management, the researchers integrated liquid metal-based conductive patterns into the flexible membrane to create a multifunctional sensing platform. The resulting electronic skin exhibits excellent mechanical adaptability, with a tensile strain of 627%, an air permeability of 20.02 mm s⁻¹, and a pressure sensitivity of 7.39 kPa⁻¹. These properties allow the device to maintain stable operation during various mechanical deformations, making it suitable for long-term wearable applications.
The electronic skin further demonstrates versatile sensing capabilities, including pressure detection, non-contact interaction, and physiological signal monitoring. Thanks to its stable skin interface and reliable electrical performance, the device can accurately collect important biological signals such as EEG, EMG, and ECG signals, providing a robust platform for continuous monitoring of human physiological states.

To explore its potential in intelligent interaction, the researchers combined the electronic skin with machine learning algorithms. By analyzing EMG signals collected from the device, the system successfully achieved remote control of a quadruped robot and handwritten character recognition with an accuracy exceeding 95%. These demonstrations highlight the potential of the electronic skin for future human–machine interfaces and intelligent wearable systems.
This work translates a natural liquid-management strategy into an advanced flexible electronic platform, offering a new approach for designing wearable devices that combine active moisture regulation, multimodal sensing, and intelligent interaction. The developed electronic skin provides new opportunities for continuous health monitoring, smart wearable electronics, and future human–machine collaborative technologies.

Title:
Intelligent Breathing Electronic Skin Inspired by Nepenthes for Active Sweat Management, Multimodal Sensing and High-Fidelity Electromyographic Teleoperation Using Machine Learning
Journal Name: Nano Micro Letters
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-026-02252-2
URL: https://scholarcast.cast.org.cn/top-news/2079556703186714624