Recent advances in intelligent sports based on triboelectric nanogenerators

The development of Internet of Things, big data analysis, and artificial intelligence (AI) has made athlete digitalization crucial in competitive sports. In a research article published in Nano Energy, Zhong Lin Wang and his colleagues first proposed the triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), driven by Maxwell displacement current to efficiently convert mechanical energy into electrical energy.

The review highlights the recent advancements in TENG applications for intelligent sports, including sports facilities, wearable equipment, and medical health devices. TENG-based sports facilities can monitor the status of athletes, improving training efficiency and competitive outcomes. One study, published in Nature Communications by Luo et al., proposed a flexible and durable wooden TENG-based intelligent table tennis table, which provided training guidance and real-time competition assistance for athletes and referees. In addition to sports facilities, TENG can also be designed as a wearable device with the advantages of lightweight, portability, flexibility, and self-power supply. In a study featured in npj Flexible Electronics, Zhang et al. developed a low-cost triboelectric smart sock, which demonstrated high stability and adaptability in gait monitoring, including jumping, running, sliding, and walking. In the future, this wearable system could accelerate the development of digital human technologies, enabling the creation of real-time digital human replicas in virtual environments.

TENG also shows potential as a medical health device in sports-related fields such as disease diagnosis, injury prevention, and rehabilitation monitoring. In another study published in Nature Communications, Ouyang et al. designed a fully implantable symbiotic pacemaker. This self-powered pacemaker has been successfully tested in large animals, demonstrating its ability to not only pace the heart but also correct sinus arrhythmia, helping to prevent disease progression. With continued technological advancements, TENGs are expected to play an increasingly vital role in sports rehabilitation and other medical fields.

“The rapid development of TENG technology has opened up new avenues for intelligent sports,” says Wang. “It provides a completely self-sufficient, flexible, wireless, multi-functional, and personalized platform for sports applications, enabling transformative advancements in sports training, injury prevention, and patient recovery. This technology will pave the way for a more intelligent and data-driven future in sports.”

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Contact the author: Jianjun Luo, Zhong Lin Wang, Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of Sciences, luojianjun@binn.cas.cn, zhong.wang@mse.gatech.edu.

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