Nano-sensors that work without batteries or wires could pave the way for more comfortable, less obtrusive sleep and healthcare monitoring at home, according to scientists at the University of Surrey.
Unlike conventional systems used in smartwatches and other wearables, which depend on batteries and regular charging, the technology is designed as a soft sensor mat that can be integrated into clothing or next-generation wearables, harvesting its own power from gentle movements such as breathing, walking or turning during sleep.
Developed at Surrey’s Advanced Technology Institute (ATI), researchers tested a set of 16 sensors that were able to track different sleep patterns and body movements, highlighting potential applications in sleep disorder monitoring and dementia care – where comfort, reliability and continuous data collection are vital.
Sajib Roy, Postgraduate Researcher at Surrey’s Advanced Technology Institute, and lead author of the study, said:
“The key achievement of our work is that the sensor is extremely sensitive to very small movements while powering itself at the same time. The device can detect very subtle human motions while simultaneously generating enough power to operate low-power electronics, even from gentle movement, enabling truly continuous, maintenance-free sensing.”
The research, published in Advanced Materials, demonstrates one of the most sensitive self-powered pressure sensors reported to date for low-frequency human motion. The device is based on an ultra-thin nanofiber structure made by embedding a boron-based two-dimensional nanomaterial – known as borophene – into a flexible polymer using an electrospinning process.
When pressure or movement is applied, the material generates its own electrical signal, removing the need for batteries. The signals produced are strong enough to power low-energy electronics, opening up possibilities for long-term, maintenance-free monitoring in healthcare, wearables and smart environments.
Professor Ravi Silva, Director of Surrey’s Advanced Technology Institute, and Interim Director of the Institute for Sustainability, said:
“We have shown how advances in materials science can be translated into practical and impactful healthcare technologies. Battery-free and unobtrusive monitoring systems like this have significant potential to support continuous health monitoring and the next generation of digital healthcare solutions, particularly for home-based care. This is exactly the type of development needed for enabling SDG-3 for good health and wellbeing in society.”
The research also underpins the vision behind Z-PULSE, a Surrey spin-out company working to translate advanced materials research into real-world, zero-burden healthcare monitoring technologies.
Bhaskar Dudem, CTO and Co-founder of Z-PULSE Ltd, said:
“This work shows the promise of nanofiber-based, self-powered sensors for unobtrusive sleep assessment. For dementia care in particular, the ability to monitor movement comfortably and continuously – without wearables or batteries – could make a real difference, and we are excited to progress toward real-time clinical studies.”
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