Laser-induced graphene based triboelectric nanogenerator for accurate wireless control and tactile pattern recognition

Accurate control interfaces and high-sensitive tactile sensing are essential for normal and efficient operation of intelligent robots. Despite most research focus on human-machine interface (HMI), little attention is paid to autonomous control interface of the robots. Simultaneous achievement of both accurate control interface and tactile array sensing in one device has been a fundamental challenge in developing intelligent robots. Herein, one device integrated by two different working-mode laser-induced graphene (LIG)-based triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) is developed to achieve simultaneously its accurate wireless control and tactile pattern recognition capability. Based on the same triboelectric effect, both the rolling of nylon pellet on the poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoro propylene) (PVDF-HFP) concave surface and the touching on the tactile pattern recognition array can excite the LIG electrodes to generate voltage outputs, which can be further employed for accurate wireless control and real-time tactile sensing (pressure sensitivity of 2.2 V/kPa within 0–2.8 kPa), respectively. When combining with a microprocessor, the accurate control interface layer based on eight parallel freestanding interdigital electrode-based TENGs on a concave cavity of silicone rubber can wirelessly operate motion direction of a miniature car as a proof-of-concept. Meanwhile, the tactile imaging of an 8 × 8 sensing array based on single-electrode TENG can successfully achieve tactile pattern recognition. Consequently, the multifunctional device integrated by two different LIG-based TENGs has achieved simultaneously accurate wireless control and sensitive tactile pattern recognition, which would demonstrate a promising application in metaverse, unmanned vehicles, and intelligent robots.