A Self‐Powered Optical Fiber Tactile Sensor With Mechanoluminescent Transduction for Robotic Grasping and Hardness Detection

Abstract

Tactile sensing is crucial for machines to interact intelligently with the physical world. Integrating mechanoluminescent (ML) materials with optical fibers presents a promising avenue for developing self‐powered tactile sensors. However, existing ML‐based optical fiber sensors suffer from inefficient signal collection or require complex demodulation strategies, thereby limiting their sensitivity and hindering compact system integration. Here, a self‐powered optical fiber tactile sensor (SOFTS) based on ML composites directly coupled to the core of a standard multimode fiber is reported. This architecture enables efficient light collection, simplifies signal demodulation, and reduces system complexity and size. The resulting sensor exhibits stable and robust ML emission in response to mechanical stimulation, without the need for external excitation. Integration of SOFTS with a robotic manipulator demonstrates real‐time tactile feedback for object grasping and hardness detection, showcasing its potential for robotics and human‐machine interfaces. This work establishes a simple, scalable, and robust platform for advancing ML‐based self‐powered optical tactile sensing technologies.