Bio-Inspired Janus All-Nanofiber Self-Powered Electronic Skins for Multifunctional, High-Resolution, Artifact-Free Human-Machine Interface.

Abstract

Artificial skins combining sustainable tactile sensing and high-precision contextual interaction could transform medical devices and robotics yet developing body-integrated systems that are electrically stable, comfortable, and scalable remain challenging. We develop a heterogeneous Janus e-skin enabled by gel-fiber-mediated interlayer adhesion and co-design of materials, structure, and architecture. An engineered polyurethane ionogel (PUIL) coupled with an elastic SBS scaffold redistributes mechanical stress. Hydrogen bonding and ion-dipole interactions immobilize the liquid metal (LM) conductor to form a reconfigurable interface. Consequently, interleaved conductive, strain-insensitive nanofiber electrodes mitigate LM migration and leakage and exhibit exceptional long-term electrical stability, withstanding 400% strain with minimal resistance change (R/R0 ≈ 1.07). The bonding interlayer and hierarchically porous Janus membrane create a surface-energy gradient that promotes air permeability and unidirectional moisture transport, thereby improving comfort and cycling durability. Additionally, the Janus fibrous membrane mitigates strain/thermal/moisture-induced signal distortion, ensuring stable bioelectrical feedback and bolstering the robustness of machine-learning-assisted decoding in self-powered human-machine interactions. Remarkably, the e-skin exhibits excellent scalable bioinspired multifunctional protection, enabling seamless module integration for electromagnetic shielding and on-demand thermal management. This work paves the way for next-generation human-machine interfaces by demonstrating a holistic strategy that achieves wearer comfort, multifunctional integration, and multi-scenario AI interaction.