A high-performance, biocompatible, and degradable piezoresistive-triboelectric hybrid device for cross-scale human activities monitoring and self-powered smart home system

Developing wearable devices that present high-performance, human and environment-friendly, as well as excellent degradability, is crucial for personal health, environmental protection, and information security, playing a significant role in application of Internet of Things (IoT). Here, a biocompatible and degradable hybrid device (PTHD) that enables high-sensitive detection of pressure over a broad range and a remarkable self-powered capability is reported by the conjunction of the piezoresistive layer and triboelectric layer. Particularly, by dedicatedly introducing a bottom stable resistance layer, the piezoresistive layer endows the PTHD with both a high sensitivity of 281,591.8 kPa^-1 and a wide response range of 0–60 kPa, which facilitates the monitoring of the cross-scale human activities ranging from tiny pulse to strenuous running. Additionally, benefiting from the excellent self-powered capability of the PTHD enabled by the triboelectric layer, a self-powered smart home system is also constructed for real-time alarming the aged falls, controlling the smart home appliances, and managing the smart entrance guard. Lastly, the PTHD is selected for culture cells and degradation experiments, proving its good biocompatibility, degradability, and potential as transient electronics. The proposed PTHD presents a credible pathway for developing comfortable and eco-friendly wearable electronics for human activities monitoring and a self-powered smart home system, which contributes to making humans a safer and more convenient lifestyle.