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Creators/Authors contains: "Jiang, Zhipeng"

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  1. Free, publicly-accessible full text available April 1, 2026
  2. Medical robotics has revolutionized healthcare by enhancing precision, adaptability, and clinical outcomes. This field has further evolved with the advent of human–machine interfaces (HMIs), which facilitate seamless interactions between users and robotic systems. However, traditional HMIs rely on rigid sensing components and bulky wiring, causing mechanical mismatches that limit user comfort, accuracy, and wearability. Flexible sensors offer a transformative solution by enabling the integration of adaptable sensing technology into HMIs, enhancing overall system functionality. Further integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into these systems addresses key limitations of conventional HMI, including challenges in complex data interpretations and multimodal sensing integration. In this review, we systematically explore the convergence of flexible sensor‐based HMIs and AI for medical robotics. Specifically, we analyze core flexible sensing mechanisms, AI‐driven advancements in healthcare, and applications in prosthetics, exoskeletons, and surgical robotics. By bridging the gap between flexible sensing technologies and AI‐driven intelligence, this review presents a roadmap for developing next‐generation smart medical robotic systems, advancing personalized healthcare and adaptive human–robot interactions. 
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  3. Abstract Wearable electronics revolutionize human–machine interfaces (HMIs) for robotic or prosthetic control. Yet, the challenge lies in eliminating conventional rigid and impermeable electronic components, such as batteries, while considering the comfort and usability of HMIs over prolonged periods. Herein, a self‐powered, flexible, and breathable HMI is developed based on piezoelectric sensors. This interface is designed to accurately monitor subtle changes in body and muscle movements, facilitating effective communication and control of robotic prosthetic hands for various applications. Utilizing engineered porous structures within the polymeric material, the piezoelectric sensor demonstrates a significantly enhanced sensitivity, flexibility, and permeability, highlighting its outstanding HMI applications. Furthermore, the developed control algorithm enables a single sensor to comprehensively control robotic hands. By successfully translating piezoelectric signals generated from bicep muscle movements into Morse Code, this HMI serves as an efficient communication device. Additionally, the process is demonstrated by illustrating the execution of the daily task of “drinking a cup of water” using the developed HMI to enable the control of a human‐interactive robotic prosthetic hand through the detection of bicep muscle movements. Such HMIs pave the way toward self‐powered and comfortable biomimetic systems, making a significant contribution to the future evolution of prosthetics. 
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  4. Abstract Converting mechanical energy from either the ambient environment or the human body motions to the useful electrical energy will revolutionize power solutions for flexible electronics. Here, a hybrid energy harvesting strategy is reported, which combines porous polymeric piezoelectric film with an electrostatic layer as an integration for converting the mechanical energy into electrical energy. The piezoelectric materials through engineered microstructures are developed to enhance energy generation due to the higher compressibility and larger surface contact area. The electrostatic effect from the charged layer further contributes to the generation of electrical charges. By directly coating the stretchable carbon nanotubes onto the elastomers, more intimate integration of the hybrid energy harvesters enables the designs for complex electronics. Such flexible hybrid piezoelectric‐electrostatic device exhibits superior energy harvesting performance with a voltage output of 1.95 V, which improves 30% and 100% compared to the electrostatic and piezoelectric alone device, respectively. Experiments are also performed to demonstrate the implementation of the hybrid device's energy conversion to power small electronics and recognition of different body motions. Such hybrid strategy provides a new solution toward future energy revolution for flexible electronics. 
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