SENSES · Self-Sustained Electronic Neuromorphic Skin for Energy-efficient Sensing

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Project objective

The emergence of next-generation soft, wearable technologies requires systems that not only sense diverse stimuli but also operate autonomously, adaptively, and in harmony with biological systems. Human skin offers an ideal model—it detects multimodal signals (touch, temperature, light), encodes them through energy-efficient, spike-based communication, and interfaces seamlessly with the nervous system. While recent advances in electronic skin (e-skin) have enabled isolated breakthroughs—such as tactile sensors, energy harvesters, and artificial synapses—existing systems remain fundamentally constrained by rigid architectures, external power dependence, and lack of integration across sensory and processing domains.The SENSES (Self-Sustained Electronic Neuromorphic Skin for Energy-efficient Sensing) project introduces a transformational shift in e-skin design. For the first time, a single, transparent, and flexible platform will integrate autonomous energy generation, multimodal sensing (tactile, thermal, optical), and neuromorphic, ionic signal processing. Central to this innovation are advanced materials such as pyroelectric–photovoltaic heterostructures with giant pyroelectric coefficients, capable of directly converting ambient thermal and optical stimuli into spike-like signals—eliminating the need for batteries or complex encoders. Anisotropic 2D tin(II) sulphide enables broadband transduction with embedded synaptic plasticity, while iontronic interfaces emulate biological skin–brain communication through ionic signalling.The proof-of-concept demonstrator developed through SENSES will represent a significant advance from fragmented sensor nodes to a unified, adaptive, and biocompatible system. Aligned with the European Green Deal, Digital Europe, and priorities in climate resilience and neuroadaptive technologies, SENSES paves the way for next-generation adaptive robotics, prosthetics, and AI-integrated medical devices.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

• UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, DUBLIN · DublinCoordinatorIreland

Links

• View on CORDIS
• DOI: 10.3030/101283216