Hydrogels have diverse chemical properties and can exhibit reversibly large mechanical deformations in response to external stimuli; these characteristics suggest that hydrogels are promising materials for soft robots. However, reported actuators based on hydrogels generally suffer from slow response speed and/or poor controllability due to intrinsic material limitations and electrode fabrication technologies. Here, we report a hydrogel actuator that operates at low voltages (<3 volts) with high performance (strain > 50%, energy density > 7 × 10 5 joules per cubic meter, and power density > 3 × 10 4 watts per cubic meter), surpassing existing hydrogel actuators and other types of electroactive soft actuators. The enhanced performance of our actuator is due to the formation of wrinkled nanomembrane electrodes that exhibit high conductivity and excellent mechanical deformation through capillary-assisted assembly of metal nanoparticles and deswelling-induced wrinkled structures. By applying an electric potential through the wrinkled nanomembrane electrodes that sandwich the hydrogel, we were able to trigger a reversible and substantial electroosmotic water flow inside a hydrogel film, which drove the controlled swelling of the hydrogel. The high energy efficiency and power density of our wrinkled nanomembrane electrode–induced actuator enabled the fabrication of an untethered insect-scale aquabot integrated with an on-board control unit demonstrating maneuverability with fast locomotion speed (1.02 body length per second), which occupies only 2% of the total mass of the robot.

Illustration depicts the complete pipeline of a wearable stethoscope (LSMP) for the accurate real-time monitoring of lung sounds and the automatic detection of wheezing, based on AI algorithms. The various bioacoustics signals obtained with auscultation contain complex clinical information that has been traditionally used as biomarkers, however, they are not extensively used in clinical studies owing to their spatiotemporal limitations. In this study, we developed a wearable stethoscope for wireless, skin-attachable, low-power, continuous, real-time auscultation using a lung-sound-monitoring-patch (LSMP). LSMP can monitor respiratory function through a mobile app and classify normal and adventitious breathing by comparing their unique acoustic characteristics. The human heart and breathing sounds from humans can be distinguished from complex sound signals consisting of a mixture of bioacoustic signals and external noise. The performance of the LSMP sensor was further demonstrated in pediatric patients with asthma and elderly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients where wheezing sounds were classified at specific frequencies. In addition, we developed a novel method for counting wheezing events based on a two-dimensional convolutional neural network deep-learning model constructed de novo and trained with our augmented fundamental lung-sound data set. We implemented a counting algorithm to identify wheezing events in real-time regardless of the respiratory cycle. The artificial intelligence-based adventitious breathing event counter distinguished > 80% of the events (especially wheezing) in long-term clinical applications in patients with COPD.

SCORring atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) is widely used to assess the severity of atopic eczema, but score systems based on the entire body may be limited in effective monitoring and intervention. It is crucial to monitor moisture levels in each affected body part, but empirical research is still lacking. The objective of this study was to analyze the levels of stratum corneum hydration (SCH) and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) in atopic dermatitis (AD) patients, focusing on the presence and location of atopic lesions at different body sites. The levels of TEWL and SCH were measured using the AF200 AquaFlux and the Corneometer, respectively, at 15 body sites. 98 children under the age of 10 were measured, including 83 AD patients and 15 in the control group. Patients were also assessed with SCORAD and for the presence of atopic lesions at each body site. 58.7% of AD patients had lesions in the antecubital fossa and popliteal fossa, with corresponding low SCH levels and high TEWL in the upper body. The differences in TEWL between the control group and AD patients were confirmed significant in the neck and antecubital fossa regions, while differences in SCH were identified in the face, antecubital fossa, and popliteal fossa regions. A higher TEWL was found among AD patients with atopic lesions in the face and ankle. This study suggests that continuous monitoring of SCH and TEWL levels at specific body sites can provide insights into identifying vulnerable body areas to AD and supplement the SCORAD system for more effective clinical intervention and prevention strategies.

Origami robots can be fabricated at various scales and transform flat two-dimensional sheets into complex three-dimensional structures. To date, the potential of origami robots in developing versatile robotic systems has been demonstrated through various folding patterns and actuation mechanisms. However, limitations in angle sensing—such as restricted range, direction, and scale—challenge the development of proprioceptive capabilities, hindering their ability to perform tasks. Here, we introduce a nano crack-based angular potentiometer (NanoCAP) capable of detecting a wide range of motion in origami robot joints. NanoCAP provides resistance changes resulting from the opening and closing of cracks under tension and compression. Furthermore, NanoCAP can be fabricated at a small scale, enabling integration into miniaturized origami robots. We validated the proprioceptive capabilities of NanoCAP by measuring angles independent of joint rotation direction, range, and robot size. Demonstrate includes an origami robot manipulator providing real-time posture feedback while transforming from a fully folded flat state to deployment, and a miniature origami gripper capable of detecting subtle angular changes due to external stimuli (e.g., contact with objects).

Abstract Strain signals contain rich physical and physiological information, requiring highly sensitive sensors to capture minute deformations. Low strain detection is especially important for applications involving small but informative deformations, such as biological tissues, micromechanical systems, or subtle human motions. Crack‐based sensors, inspired by the mechanoreceptors of spiders, offer exceptional sensitivity, flexibility, and scalability. However, achieving ultrahigh sensitivity in low strain regimes remains challenge. Here, a crack‐growing interlayer is presented that facilitates the formation of a deep cracks, a key parameter for enhancing the sensitivity of crack‐based sensors. By curing a polyimide (PI) precursor at low temperatures, a semi‐cured polyimide (SPI) interlayer is fabricated with low fracture energy due to reduced imidization. This enables the development of deep cracks penetrating 2.5 µm into the SPI, exhibiting a wide gap of 135 nm at 2% strain. The sensor achieves a gauge factor (GF) of 100 000 at 2% strain, demonstrating ultrahigh sensitivity in the low‐strain regime. Its application is further validated through attachment to the nose, where it successfully detects subtle tissue deformations during breathing. These results highlight the potential for widespread applications in fields requiring minimally obstructive, scalable, and conformal sensing systems, such as biomedical monitoring, micromechanical systems, and subtle human motion detection.

Highly packable and deployable electronics offer a variety of advantages in electronics and robotics by facilitating spatial efficiency. These electronics must endure extreme folding during packaging and tension to maintain a rigid structure in the deployment state. Here, we present foldable and robustly deployable electronics inspired by Plantago, characterized by their tolerance to folding and tension due to integration of tough veins within thin leaf. The primary design approach for these electronics involves a high resistance to folding and tension, achieved through a thin multilayered electronic composite, which manages the neutral axis and incorporates tough Kevlar. The fabricated electronics can be folded up to 750,000 times without malfunctions and endure pulling an object 6667 times heavier than itself without stretching. Such robust electronics can be used as a deployable robot with sensor arrays, demonstrating practical applicability, as it maintains their mechanical and electrical properties during inflation from the packaged state.

Monitoring skin health through parameters like skin hydration (SH) and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) is vital for diagnosing skin conditions and identifying disease factors. Conventional devices and survey-based methods often fail to deliver accurate diagnoses due to circadian rhythms of skin health data, limited measurement frequency, and patient subjectivity. Previous research has shown that prolonged device usage also causes sweat accumulation, compromising reliable monitoring. Here, we present a breathable skin health analyzer (BSA), a wearable device designed for prolonged use, capable of accurate, long-term measurement of SH and TEWL. The BSA addresses considerable obstacles in skin health monitoring by employing a breathable chamber and a bistable actuator that ensures both ventilation and consistent sensor contact with the skin. Validated through a 28-day clinical trial, the BSA and data processing algorithms demonstrated their effectiveness in providing reliable data by analyzing the correlation between particulate matter exposure and the skin barrier health. These results not only highlight the potential to improve the diagnosis and treatment of diseases but also show the possibility of contributing to individual environmental health impact assessments and translational studies.