Development of Mechanoluminescent-Based Sensor for Wearable Technology

Wearable technology has been a rapidly growing area of research in recent years. Mechanoluminescent (ML)-based sensors could be a promising candidate for wearable sensing technology due to their ability to convert mechanical stimuli into light signals. ML-based sensors do not need power in sensing location. Here, we constructed a simple stretchable sensor using a thin layer of copper-doped zinc sulfide (ZnS:Cu) as a light emitter, a perovskite layer as a light absorber, and a layer of eutectic gallium indium (EGaIn) as an electrode. The sensor detects strain by converting emitted light from ML materials into electrical current. The output current of the sensor increases with an increase in applied strain. Our sensor has potential applications in artificial electronic skins, touchpads, wearable technologies, and structural health monitoring.