Origami-structured triboelectric nanogenerator for energy and information co-harvesting from a single hand tap

Summary Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have emerged as a promising solution for realizing self-powered Internet of Things (IoT) nodes. However, their practical deployment remains constrained by limited power output, high internal impedance, and immature system-level integration. In this paper, we present a diamond-tessellated, origami-inspired triboelectric nanogenerator (DT-TENG) that underpins a synergistic energy and information harvesting (SEIH) system. Enabled by a flat-foldable architecture, an optimized contact interface, and a plasma-treated dielectric layer, the DT-TENG achieves a peak power density of 548.33 W/m³. A dedicated energy-regulation and impedance-matching circuit facilitates efficient energy extraction, yielding an approximately 460-fold increase in stored energy and providing a reliable power supply for system operation. Triggered by a gentle hand tap, the SEIH system supports self-powered sensing, with rapid response and high adaptability. Through energy-information co-harvesting, this work demonstrates a system-level approach to responsive, battery-free control across smart-home, human-machine interface, and wearable sensing applications.