Experimental study demonstrates unified mechanical sensing and optical memory using a single-phase piezoelectric phosphor, highlighting potential applications in secure human-machine interfaces.
Translating the physical world of touch into a visual, optical language represents a significant challenge for intelligent systems and next‐generation security. Realizing this vision requires materials that overcome a critical dual‐bottleneck: long‐lasting, self‐powered mechanical sensing without signal decay, and the capacity for high‐fidelity, secure optical information recording. Current materials can typically either perceive or record, but rarely unify both functions within a single intrinsic system. Here, we present a single‐phase piezoelectric phosphor, Ca 5 Ga 6 O 14 :Tb 3+ , Eu 3+ , that effectively addresses this challenge. Its intrinsic, self‐recoverable mechanoluminescence (ML), governed by piezoelectricity, enables long‐lasting mechanical sensing without external recharging. Simultaneously, the synergistic interplay between intrinsic defects and dopant‐induced defects establishes a robust energy landscape for optical memory, enabling the “record” modality. Leveraging these unique properties, we develop an artificial intelligence (AI)‐assisted biometric authentication system, demonstrating high‐fidelity facial recognition and fingerprint visualization using an innovative deep‐ultraviolet (deep‐UV) grayscale mask technique. We further demonstrate long‐lasting sensing through a triple‐channel pressure visualization platform with an interactive interface that deciphers handwritten text, color, and pressure. This work provides a material platform that can perceive, record, and visually communicate with the physical world, establishing a new paradigm for intelligent materials in advanced human‐machine interaction and high‐security systems.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Zhao et al. (2026) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: