A Self‐Detection Mechanism Toward Stable Multiple Perception of Ionic Skins

Abstract Ionic skins (I‐skins) hold significant potential for mimicking the complex sensory functions of human skin. However, they suffer from unstable sensing performance because the water content and temperature of I‐skins are susceptible to the surrounding environment. Here, a self‐detection sensing mechanism designed to address this critical issue, ensuring stable perception of multiple stimuli in I‐skins, is introduced. It is demonstrated that gradient polyelectrolyte (GP) conductors possess two parameters—resistance and self‐induced potential—that are responsive to temperature and water content. Through establishing the functional relations of resistance and potential against temperature and water content based on the Nernst−Planck and Arrhenius equations, respectively, the temperature and water content of resulting GP I‐skins can be self‐detected/calculated in real‐time from the measured resistance and potential signals. Such self‐detection capability allows GP I‐skins not only to self‐calibrate their sensing parameters for accurate detection of mechanical stimuli across varying environmental conditions but also to discern surrounding temperature and humidity in accordance with Flory−Rehner theory. This self‐detection sensing mechanism offers a powerful tool for developing I‐skins capable of stable perception of multiple stimuli in changing environments without complex and undesired encapsulation.