Mechanoluminescence for electronic skins and wearable devices

Devices that can mimic the feeling and protective functionalities of human skin are one of the most significant components of wearable devices for health monitoring, robotics, and prosthetics. Conventional stress sensors face great challenges in terms of stretchability, self-healing ability, and large-area integration. On the other hand, emerging sensing technology based on mechanoluminescence is expected to take a great step forward for the development of electronic skin and wearable devices due to the features of remote sensing and stress distribution visualization. In this chapter, starting with a brief introduction to electronic skins and wearable devices, we overview the challenges of advanced display and sensing technologies in terms of flexibility and wearability. The technical features and advantages of mechanoluminescence-based technologies are discussed. The recent progress on mechanoluminescence in the applications of electronic skins and wearable devices is reviewed. Finally, the challenges and prospects are presented.