Emerging artificial synaptic devices based on triboelectric nanogenerators

With the increasing popularity and refinement of the Internet of Things (IoT) and machine learning algorithms, various fields are rapidly moving towards a new era of intelligence and efficiency. Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), as a cutting-edge energy harvesting and conversion technology, not only brings a fresh perspective to the field of energy conversion and information processing, but also opens up a new path for the development of self-powered intelligent systems. The integration of artificial synaptic devices with TENG to simulate synaptic plasticity realizes the synchronization of information processing using the harvested electricity from surroundings, achieving real-time, intelligent monitoring and management of mechanical energy. This review systematically describes the basic concepts and characteristics of artificial synaptic devices, summarizing recent achievements on various TENG-modulated artificial synaptic. In addition, the article outlines the applications of TENG-modulated artificial synapses such as tactile sensing, human motion detection, auditory sensing, and multimodal integration. Finally, the article summarizes the current challenges and future perspectives on TENG-based neuromorphic devices. TENG-regulated artificial synaptic devices show great significance in interactive neuromorphic devices, physiological/environmental/chemical/biological detection, and low-power neuromorphic computation, playing an increasingly important role in the future development of artificial intelligence.