A self-powered human gait monitoring sensor for osteoarthritis prevention

Recently, wearable sensors for human motion posture and medical diagnosis have received widespread attention. However, most wearable sensors rely on a power supply, and their preparation technology still faces limitations. Here, we used eyebrow powder to fabricate a triboelectric nanogenerator (E-TENG) for bio-mechanical energy harvesting and gait monitoring of patients with osteoarthritis. Under a maximum separation distance (5 mm) and a maximum motion frequency (6 Hz), the E-TENG device can attain a open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 169 V and a short-circuit current (Isc) of 5.5 µA. Meanwhile, the maximum output power of the E-TENG can arrive at 175 µW (load resistance: 20 MΩ). The E-TENG can detect human gait patterns (walking, running, and jumping), finger motion, and elbow joint movements. Further research has shown that the E-TENG can be used for gait recognition and monitoring in patients with osteoarthritis, providing reference data for osteoarthritis prevention and treatment. This research can promote the application of TENG devices based on cosmetic materials in medical diagnosis and adjuvant treatment.