Sustainable Human-Machine Interactive Triboelectric Nanogenerator toward a Smart Computer Mouse

A rapid increase in day-to-day consumer electronics and maximum usage of it builds multiple possibilities in human–machine interaction (HMI). By considering the use of electronic components, such as smartphones, tablet computers, keyboards, etc., a large amount of biomechanical energy would be generated. To harvest the waste mechanical energy, the authors have fabricated a smart computer mouse-triboelectric nanogenerator (SCM-TENG) with an interdigitated array (IDA) electrode made of aluminum (Al) and nylon, paper, cotton, polyethylene, and fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) as sliding layers. The SCM-TENG has a high energy output with FEP/Al as a triboelectric material and shows a maximum output of V OC ≈ 210 V and J SC (peak–peak) ≈ 3 μA/m 2 . We have also carried out stability tests, load resistance analysis, charging commercial capacitors, and a lithium ion (Li-ion) battery. These types of TENG-based electronic devices pave the way for battery-free electronics and commercialization.