Battery-Free Nano-Sensors Pave Way for Next-Generation Wearables

Long-term sleep and health monitoring often relies on wearable devices that require batteries, regular charging, and frequent maintenance, which can reduce comfort and long-term adherence. These limitations are especially problematic for vulnerable groups such as older adults, people with sleep disorders, or patients requiring continuous home-based monitoring. Researchers have now demonstrated a soft, self-powered sensing system that can continuously track subtle human movements without wires or batteries, enabling unobtrusive and maintenance-free health monitoring.

Researchers at the University of Surrey (Guildford, UK) have designed a flexible sensor mat that can be integrated into clothing or next-generation wearable systems, harvesting energy directly from natural body movements such as breathing, turning during sleep, or walking. The sensor is based on an ultra-thin nanofiber structure created by embedding borophene, a two-dimensional boron-based nanomaterial, into a flexible polymer using an electrospinning process. When mechanical pressure or motion is applied, the material generates its own electrical signal, eliminating the need for external power sources.

To validate the system, the team tested an array of 16 nano-sensors capable of detecting different sleep patterns and body movements. The sensors demonstrated exceptional sensitivity to low-frequency human motion, capturing subtle signals generated by gentle breathing or minor shifts during sleep. The results, published in Advanced Materials, show that the generated electrical output is sufficient to power low-energy electronics. The study reports one of the most sensitive self-powered pressure sensors to date for human-motion detection.

Because the system operates without batteries or wires, it offers clear advantages for long-term, continuous monitoring in healthcare and home environments. Potential applications include sleep disorder assessment, dementia care, and remote patient monitoring, where comfort, reliability, and uninterrupted data collection are essential. The researchers envision future integration of the technology into smart textiles, wearable platforms, and ambient sensing environments, supporting scalable and low-maintenance digital health solutions.

“We have shown how advances in materials science can be translated into practical and impactful healthcare technologies,” said Professor Ravi Silva. “Battery-free and unobtrusive monitoring systems like this have significant potential to support continuous health monitoring and the next generation of digital healthcare solutions, particularly for home-based care. This is exactly the type of development needed for enabling SDG-3 for good health and well-being in society.”

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University of Surrey