Ultrawide-Range Wearable Pressure Sensors for High-Load Prosthetic Interfaces.

Abstract

Wide-range pressure sensing is essential for wearable biomedical systems operating under diverse mechanical conditions, such as prosthetic interfaces, surgical tools, and rehabilitation devices. However, current wearable pressure sensors remain limited to narrow pressure ranges (typically ≤100 kPa), restricting their use in high-pressure settings, such as prosthetic sockets. Here, we report a wearable pressure sensor with an ultrabroad detection range─from 70 Pa to 4 MPa─representing one of the widest ranges reported to date for wearable systems. The key enabling strategy is the use of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) as a molecular binder to electrostatically anchor multiwalled carbon nanotubes within a polyurethane foam scaffold. This PDDA-assisted layer-by-layer assembly produces a stable, homogeneous, and highly compressible conductive network that preserves sensitivity across both subtle and extreme pressures. We integrated the sensor into a smart sheath for lower-limb prosthetics and demonstrated real-time pressure mapping during sitting, standing, and walking. This system provides a practical route toward continuous, high-pressure monitoring in prosthetic and other demanding wearable applications.