The development of high-performance flexible electronics faces a fundamental challenge: balancing sophisticated multimodal sensing and end-of-life environmental sustainability. Drawing inspiration from the human fingerprint, we present a microelectronic-printing-based arch-shaped sensor that resolves this conflict by integrating dual-mode (contact/non-contact) sensing with inherently recyclable components. The device, fabricated through high-resolution printing of liquid metal circuits (with line widths below 200 μm) on functionally tailored substrates, exhibits a sensitivity of 3.07 kPa-1 and a response time under 60 ms. It operates across a broad pressure range (0-15 kPa) in contact mode and senses proximity up to 5 cm. This robust performance enables an integrated wireless system for encrypted communication, gesture-trajectory tracking, and dynamic gesture recognition with 92.67% classification accuracy. Notably, we demonstrate a closed-loop lifecycle for the key functional materials, achieving 86.2% recovery and direct reuse of the liquid metal conductor. This work provides a versatile design strategy that simultaneously meets the demands for performance, functionality, and sustainability, offering a practical platform for future green and intelligent wearable technologies.
Dong et al. (Mon,) studied this question.