Thermoelectric and Photoelectric Dual Modulated Sensors for Human Internet of Things Application in Accurate Fire Recognition and Warning

The emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) era has necessitated the development of intelligent wearable electronics for fire warning to mitigate fire hazards prior to ignition. Although significant advancements are achieved in thermoelectric materials and devices, the design of a specific thermoelectric wearable device for precision fire warning still remains challenging. In this study, an intelligent sensing system for human IoT fire warning that utilizes a novel light/heat dual-parameter-responsive single-walled carbon nanotube/poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (SWCNT/P3HT) composite is developed. This system comprises the composite, a circuit microcontroller, and a message transmission system, which together create an intelligent fire source sensing device. The synergistic effect of light and heat is observed to enhance the output voltage and response time under concurrent stimuli, as compared to heating alone. The intelligent sensing system is found to effectively identify and alarm for fire sources, owing to the high thermoelectric and photoelectric performance of the SWCNT/P3HT composite, precise fire recognition, and the ability to adjust the alarming threshold for detecting fire hazards. This study presents a new approach for designing light/heat dual-parameter-responsive materials and wearable devices, which hold potential applications in smart home living environments, including child protection against fire hazards.