Fingerprint-Inspired Recyclable Electronic Skin for Non-Contact Urinary Incontinence Monitoring and Sensing
Abstract
The development of high-performance flexible electronics faces a fundamental challenge: balancing sophisticated multimodal sensing and end-of-life environmental sustainability. Drawing inspiration from the human fingerprint, we present a microelectronic-printing-based arch-shaped sensor that resolves this conflict by integrating dual-mode (contact/non-contact) sensing with inherently recyclable components. The device, fabricated through high-resolution printing of liquid metal circuits (with line widths below 200 μm) on functionally tailored substrates, exhibits a sensitivity of 3.07 kPa –1 and a response time under 60 ms. It operates across a broad pressure range (0–15 kPa) in contact mode and senses proximity up to 5 cm. This robust performance enables an integrated wireless system for encrypted communication, gesture-trajectory tracking, and dynamic gesture recognition with 92.67% classification accuracy. Notably, we demonstrate a closed-loop lifecycle for the key functional materials, achieving 86.2% recovery and direct reuse of the liquid metal conductor. This work provides a versatile design strategy that simultaneously meets the demands for performance, functionality, and sustainability, offering a practical platform for future green and intelligent wearable technologies.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Neonatal skin health care
Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Management
Forensic Fingerprint Detection Methods
Publication details
- Journal / source
- ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 16
- Pages
- 23527–23537
- Publication date
- 13 April 2026
- Language
- EN