A Flexible Bimodal Sensor With Single Configuration Enabling Strain and Touchless Sensing

Abstract

ABSTRACT Human–machine interfaces increasingly require sensors capable of perceiving both direct physical interactions and remote environmental cues. However, existing multimodal flexible sensors typically rely on physically separated sensing units and complex signal integration, leading to increased structural complexity and compromised mechanical adaptability. Here, we present a flexible bimodal sensing architecture that enables contact and noncontact perception within a single configuration. The sensor is constructed from a silica‐modified gallium–indium liquid metal composite embedded in an elastomeric matrix, where a single patterned conductive framework enables dual sensing functions through distinct interaction modes. Resistance modulation of the deformable liquid metal network provides real‐time strain perception during physical contact, whereas triboelectric‐field coupling enables proximity detection without direct contact. This intrinsically integrated sensing strategy allows simultaneous decoding of deformation states, approaching distance, and dynamic motion trajectories without relying on conventional multisensor fusion. This single configuration‐based multimodal sensing strategy provides a compact approach for developing next‐generation electronic skins and intelligent human–machine interfaces.