All‐Weather Self‐Powered Intelligent Traffic Monitoring System Based on a Conjunction of Self‐Healable Piezoresistive Sensors and Triboelectric Nanogenerators

Abstract

A self‐powered and sustainable traffic monitoring system is highly required for future urban development. Herein, self‐healable piezoresistive sensors and triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are constructed by in situ polymerization of polyvinyl alcohol‐polyacrylamide double network hydrogel in the presence of sodium alginate and tannic acid‐modified cellulose nanocrystals (denoted as PPC) for all‐weather self‐powered intelligent traffic monitoring applications. Because of hydrogen bonding and boron ester bonding, the resultant PPC‐based strain sensor can rapidly self‐heal and restore its sensing ability within 1 min with a self‐healing efficiency of 97.4%. Based on piezoresistive effect, the ions in sodium alginate endow the PPC‐based strain sensor with a relatively high gauge factor of 8.39, which can monitor the motion and fatigue of drivers. Based on triboelectrification effect, the PPC‐based TENG sensor can detect instantaneous vehicle speed, judge traffic accident liability, evaluate vehicle weight, and alert the driver to prevent accidents caused by drowsy driving. After partially replacing water in the PPC with glycerin, the resulting PPC‐based TENG sensor exhibits stable performance at temperatures ranging from ‐30 to 40 °C, ensuring its all‐weather monitoring ability. The all‐weather and self‐powered intelligent traffic monitoring system is promising for ensuring the security of future cities.

Biopolymer Materials in Triboelectric Nanogenerators: A Review

“…Future urban planning necessitates the integration of self-powered and sustainable traffic monitoring systems. Li et al introduced an all-weather, self-powered intelligent traffic monitoring system, employing a polyvinyl alcohol-polyacrylamide/tannic acidmodified cellulose nanocrystal double network hydrogel (PPC) [105]. The system includes self-healing piezoresistive sensors and TENG, capable of the real-time monitoring of driver status and vehicle conditions.…”

Fluid-based triboelectric nanogenerators: unveiling the prolific landscape of renewable energy harvesting and beyond

“…In recent years, there has been an increasing fascination with smart transportation systems for their capacity to optimize traffic flow and improve traffic management. 157,158 Smart transportation systems leverage an array of sensors in conjunction with communication technologies, automation, and data analytics to intelligently address traffic-related challenges. Their objective is to enhance the efficiency, sustainability, and safety of urban transportation and residents' mobility.…”

Flexible Self-Powered Low-Decibel Voice Recognition Mask

“…The characteristics of TENG, such as self-powering capabilities, high sensitivity, and efficiency, facilitate the applications of intelligent sensing technologies in our daily lives. For instance, integrating TENG into gesture recognition [42][43][44], intelligent IoT [45][46][47], wearable devices [48][49][50], automated monitoring [51][52][53], and speech recognition [39,[54][55][56]. Despite significant advancements in speech recognition technology, challenges persist in certain specific application scenarios regarding accuracy and stability.…”