Wearable Sensors-Enabled Human-Machine Interaction Systems: From Design to Application

In comparison to traditional bulky and rigid electronic devices, the human-machine interaction (HMI) system with flexible and wearable components is an inevitable future trend. To achieve effective, intuitive, and seamless manipulation of high-performance wearable HMI systems, it is important to develop effective strategies for designing material microstructures on flexible sensors and electric devices with excellent mechanical flexibility and stretchability. The real-time acquisition of human physiology and surrounding signals through accurate and flexible sensors is the basis of wearable HMIs. Herein, the construction of a wearable HMI system that utilizes sensors, communication modes, and actuators is reviewed. The mechanisms and strategies for designing various flexible sensors based on different mechanisms are analyzed and discussed. The functional mechanism, material selection, and novel design strategies of each part are summarized in detail. The different communication modes in interactive systems and the manufacturing technology of soft machines are also introduced. Additionally, the most advanced applications of wearable HMI systems in intelligent identification and security, interactive controls for robots, augmented reality, and virtual reality have been highlighted. The review concludes with an overview of the remaining key challenges and several ideas regarding the further improvement of wearable HMI systems.