Bioinspired cobweb flexible dual-modal sensor constructed by laser engraving for complex environmental monitoring

Existing flexible sensors rarely achieve simultaneous tensile-pressure dual-modal sensing with long-term stability due to conductive network failure and interfacial debonding under coupled loading. Here, we report a dual-modal flexible sensor (SFPL) constructed through multiscale nanoengineering integrating an electrospun TPU nanofibrous skeleton, a LiTFSI/CuNWs ionic-electronic dual-conductive network, a photocrosslinked interpenetrating interface, and a laser-engraved cobweb microstructure. Unlike most reported devices that excel in only one deformation mode or degrade within several thousand cycles, our sensor uniquely combines opposite resistance responses for distinguishing tension from compression, ultra-long cyclic stability exceeding 20,000 cycles in both modes, and the ability to recognize cough patterns, detect syllable-level speech, and monitor respiration with distinct electrical fingerprints beyond motion monitoring. The sensor achieves a stable tensile working range of 0–400% (ultimate fracture strain: up to 470%, GF = 2.08), a compression range up to 780 kPa (sensitivity: −0.0215 kPa −1 ), response times of ~20 ms in both tensile and compressive modes, and recovery times of 40.30 ms (tensile) and 30.16 ms (compressive). Importantly, the opposite resistance responses under tension and compression enable unambiguous discrimination of sequential mechanical events, as demonstrated in continuous joint motion monitoring (fist clenching followed by impact), while the fast response and excellent reproducibility support potential applications in human-machine interaction such as Morse-code encoding. This work demonstrates that rational nanoscale structural design can address long-standing trade-offs in flexible sensing, offering a promising platform for wearable healthcare and intelligent interactive systems.