Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42160416›Full record

ArticleScience advances2026

Bioinspired ionic thermoreceptors with anisotropic architecture for thermotactile perception in robots.

Xuan Cai, Yilin Zeng, Pei Liu, Yifan Zhang, Linfeng Wang, Huaiyu Ke, Xue Long, Hua Jiang, Wendong Yang, Zuoxuan Gan and 2 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Science advances, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Xuan CaiWuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.ORCID 0009-0004-8418-0981
Yilin ZengWuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.
Pei LiuWuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.ORCID 0000-0001-5330-9640
Yifan ZhangWuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.ORCID 0009-0000-8010-4093
Linfeng WangWuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.
Huaiyu KeWuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.
Xue LongWuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.
Hua JiangWuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.
Wendong YangWuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.
Zuoxuan GanWuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.ORCID 0009-0008-2925-8765
Shuwen ChenInstitute of Medical Equipment Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.ORCID 0000-0002-6611-3599
Jiangjiang DuanWuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.ORCID 0000-0001-6103-5010

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Emulating human skin's ability to perceive temperature and identify material through thermotactile perception is critical for human-machine interaction, robotics operation, and prosthetic sensory feedback systems. However, conventional artificial thermal sensors are largely limited to temperature measurement and cannot replicate the thermotactile-mediated material recognition capabilities inherent in biological systems. Here, we present a bioinspired ionic thermoreceptor with anisotropic thermal response characteristics, enabling high-fidelity material recognition and accurate temperature monitoring. The device incorporates spatially specialized sensing elements that encode thermal signals into modality-specific temporal response patterns, allowing the extraction of the thermal contact coefficient for material discrimination and the absolute temperature for precise thermal monitoring. It achieves high-accuracy material recognition (98.9%) and substantial temperature resolution (0.81 millikelvins). Furthermore, robust covalent bonding between functional layers ensures mechanical durability, signal stability, and environmental resilience. This work establishes a physically grounded and energy-autonomous thermotactile sensing platform for safe, intuitive, and intelligent human-machine interaction.

Indexed as

RoboticsThermoreceptorsAnisotropyHumansTemperature

Identifiers

PMID42160416
PMCPMC13189106

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LicenceCC BY
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.