Bimodal Thermoelectric/AIE E‐Skin Decouples Contact‐Area Ambiguity for Concurrent Pain Perception and Injury Mapping

Abstract

ABSTRACT Thermoreceptive electronic skins face fundamental limitations due to signal ambiguity caused by the contact‐area effect in thermoelectric devices. Since electrical output depends on total heat flux, localized high‐temperature stimuli generate indistinguishable signals from widespread low‐temperature stimuli, leading to unreliable thermal hazard assessment. To address this challenge, we developed a dual‐modality bilayer e‐skin integrating a single‐walled carbon nanotube‐based thermoelectric layer and an aggregation‐induced emission luminogen‐based photoluminescent layer. The bottom thermoelectric layer functions as a fast‐response nociceptor, converting temperature gradients into voltage‐encoded “pain” signals. The top AIE layer provides contact‐area‐independent optical mapping of thermal fields through photoluminescence quenching, enabling direct visual decoupling of temperature from contact area without computational processing. This integrated platform achieves real‐time injury visualization, accurate temperature recognition (>97% accuracy), and reliable nociceptive‐like sensing. Validated by a biomimetic robotic reflex system, the e‐skin offers a robust solution for intelligent safety protection and enhanced human‐machine interaction in dynamic thermal environments.