Researchers at Tsinghua University, Shenzhen MSU‑BIT University and partners developed a dual‑mode metamaterial textile that transmits both data and power wirelessly across the body, enabling wearable sensors to operate without onboard batteries for robotics, healthcare, virtual reality and human‑machine interaction.
A dual‑mode metamaterial textile combines wireless data and wireless power transfer to support battery‑free wearable sensors.
The textile functions as the network backbone on the body, removing the need for battery packs on individual sensors.
Target applications include robotics, healthcare monitoring, virtual reality and human‑machine interaction where lightweight, untethered sensors are beneficial.
The textile is designed to perform two functions simultaneously: deliver power to wearable devices and carry their data traffic. Acting as a body‑worn transmission medium, it replaces or supplements conventional battery packs and wired connections. Because the textile integrates power and communication, individual sensors can be smaller, lighter, and less obtrusive.
The research specifically highlights use cases in robotics, healthcare, virtual reality (VR) and human‑machine interaction. In these areas, wearable sensors often need to be flexible, lightweight, and reliable during movement. Removing batteries reduces weight and maintenance, while a textile backbone simplifies deployment and the overall system form factor.
The work is a collaboration led by researchers at Tsinghua University and Shenzhen MSU‑BIT University, supported by partner institutions. The project sits among recent advances in wearable sensing materials and battery‑free devices that aim to make continuous, body‑scale sensing more practical.
How this relates to other developments
This textile follows a trend toward integrating sensing and power into fabrics and thin materials. Related developments include devices that harvest motion or body heat, self‑folding paper‑based sensors that conform to body parts, and flexible neuromorphic sensing elements that operate without external power sources. Together, these approaches reduce the dependence on batteries and rigid electronics for body‑worn systems.
What's next (practical implications)
If adopted, the dual‑mode textile could change product designs for wearable systems used in clinical monitoring, VR suits, rehabilitation garments and robotic skins. System designers would need to consider how sensors interface with the textile, how to route signals and power across garments, and how to integrate the textile into durable, washable clothing systems for everyday use.
The dual‑mode metamaterial textile combines wireless power and high‑speed data transfer into a body‑worn fabric that enables battery‑free wearable sensors. The approach reduces weight and wiring while aiming to broaden where and how sensors are deployed in robotics, healthcare, VR and human‑machine interaction.
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