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Scientists Discover Way to Send Information into Black Holes Without Using Energy

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This Self-Powered “Electronic Skin” Stretches 6.7× Like Human Tissue May Change Wearable Technology Forever

Imagine a medical device that you can wear on your skin for days or even weeks without charging it. It continuously tracks your heart rate, breathing, joint movement, and muscle activity—without needing a battery. At the same time, it feels soft like skin, bends with your body, and never loses accuracy even after thousands of stretches.

This future is now much closer to reality.

Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have developed a new type of self-powered sensor that can stretch up to 668% of its original length while still producing stable electrical signals. This major breakthrough could reshape wearable healthcare, soft robotics, and electronic skin technology.

The study was led by Professor Miso Kim from KAIST’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, with Yong Jun Choi as the first author. The findings were published in the scientific journal ACS Nano.

A New Step Toward Truly Smart Wearable Devices

Wearable medical devices are becoming more common in healthcare. Today’s smartwatches and fitness bands can track heart rate and steps, but they still depend heavily on batteries and rigid electronics. This limits how long and comfortably they can be worn.

Scientists have long dreamed of creating “electronic skin”—a flexible, stretchable layer that behaves like human skin and can sense pressure, movement, and touch. However, building such systems has been difficult because most electronic materials break or lose performance when stretched repeatedly.

The KAIST team’s work solves one of the biggest problems in this field: how to make a highly stretchable sensor that still works reliably without a battery.

The Problem with Existing Stretchable Sensors

The sensor developed by the KAIST researchers belongs to a category called piezoelectric fiber sensors. These sensors generate electricity when they are bent, pressed, or stretched.

The key material used is a piezoelectric polymer, a flexible substance that produces electrical signals when mechanical force is applied. Because it is light, soft, and flexible, it is ideal for wearable devices attached to the skin.

However, traditional versions of these sensors face serious problems:

  • When stretched repeatedly, their electrical signals weaken over time

  • The electrode layers that collect electrical signals can crack or separate

  • The connection between different layers becomes unstable

  • Performance drops after repeated bending or twisting

Even when researchers tried to increase stretchability by coiling or twisting fibers, the sensors still struggled to maintain stable electrical output.

A “Hierarchical Resilient Design” Solution

To overcome these issues, the KAIST researchers introduced a new strategy called Hierarchical Resilient Design.

In simple terms, this means the sensor is designed to survive deformation at multiple levels:

  1. The material level (what it is made of)

  2. The structural level (how it is shaped)

  3. The interface level (how different parts connect)

This approach allows the sensor to behave like a rubber band that not only stretches easily but also returns to its original form without damage—even after repeated use.

How the Sensor Works Like a Self-Healing System

The researchers made several key improvements to achieve this performance.

1. Elastic internal structure

They embedded tiny elastic polymer particles inside piezoelectric nanofibers. These act like microscopic support points that help the material recover its shape after stretching.

This structure works like Velcro at a small scale, holding the material together even under stress.

2. Strong internal bonding

The team improved the connection between the electrode layer (which collects electricity) and the piezoelectric layer (which generates electricity).

In older sensors, these layers often separate under stress. In the new design, they are tightly bonded so they remain stable even during strong bending or stretching.

3. Coil-based structure design

The sensor was also shaped into a coil structure. This allows it to stretch much further than straight fibers while still maintaining electrical performance.

Thanks to this design, the sensor achieved an impressive 668% stretchability, meaning it can extend to about 6.7 times its original length.

Stable Performance Under Real-World Movement

The most important feature of this sensor is not just how far it can stretch—but how reliably it works while doing so.

The KAIST team tested the device under various movements, including:

  • Stretching

  • Bending

  • Pressing

  • Twisting

In all cases, the sensor continued to generate stable electrical signals without performance loss.

They also tested different structural forms, including coil shapes and knot shapes. Even under repeated stress and sudden impacts, the sensor remained stable.

This makes it highly suitable for real-world applications where human movement is constant and unpredictable.

Smart Motion Recognition with AI

Another powerful feature of this system is its ability to work with artificial intelligence (AI).

By analyzing the electrical signals generated by the sensor, AI systems were able to accurately distinguish between different types of movement, such as:

  • Finger pressing

  • Joint bending

  • Body stretching

This means the sensor is not just detecting movement—it is also helping interpret what kind of movement is happening. This opens the door to smart rehabilitation tools, gesture-controlled devices, and advanced health monitoring systems.

Why This Discovery Matters

This research is important because it brings together three key features that were difficult to achieve at the same time:

  • High stretchability

  • Long-term durability

  • Self-powered operation (no battery needed)

Most previous sensors could only achieve two of these at best. Combining all three creates a powerful new platform for wearable electronics.

Future Applications in Healthcare and Robotics

The potential applications of this technology are wide-ranging:

1. Wearable medical devices

It could be used for long-term monitoring of:

  • Heart rate

  • Breathing patterns

  • Muscle activity

  • Joint movement

Because it does not require batteries, it can be worn for longer periods without discomfort.

2. Electronic skin

Future robots could be covered with this sensor “skin,” allowing them to sense touch, pressure, and movement just like humans.

3. Soft robotics

Soft robots made from flexible materials could use this technology to improve movement control and environmental sensing.

4. Digital healthcare systems

Doctors could use continuous, real-time body data to better understand patient conditions and detect health problems earlier.

Expert Insight from the Research Team

Professor Miso Kim explained the significance of the work:

“The core achievement of this research is that it simultaneously secured mechanical resilience and electrical reliability by combining fiber structure design with electrode interface engineering.”

She also highlighted future possibilities:

“We expect it to be applied to wearable medical devices, electronic skins, and soft robotics sensors, enabling more accurate and continuous biosignal monitoring.”

Conclusion: A Step Toward Truly Seamless Human–Machine Interaction

The KAIST team’s self-powered, ultra-stretchable sensor represents a major step forward in wearable technology. By solving long-standing problems of durability and signal stability, this innovation brings us closer to a future where electronic devices blend seamlessly with the human body.

From healthcare monitoring to intelligent robotics, this technology could play a key role in the next generation of smart systems—where devices are not just worn, but truly become part of us.

Reference: Yong Jun Choi et al, Mechanically and Functionally Resilient Piezoelectric Fiber Coils and Knots for Reliable Self-Powered Sensing, ACS Nano (2026). DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.5c19628

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