A Biomimetic Nociceptor Using Centrosymmetric Crystals for Machine Intelligence

Abstract

Pain sensation is a crucial aspect of perception in the body. Force‐activated nociceptors encode electrochemical signals and yield multilevel information of pain, thus enabling smart feedback. Inspired by the natural template, multi‐dimensional mechano‐sensing materials provide promising approaches for biomimetic nociceptors in intelligent terminals. However, the reliance on non‐centrosymmetric crystals has narrowed the range of these materials. Here centrosymmetric crystal Cr³⁺‐doped zinc gallogermanate (ZGGO:Cr) with multi‐dimensional mechano‐sensing is reported, eliminating the limitation of crystal structure. Under forces, ZGGO:Cr generates electrical signals imitating those of neuronal systems, and produces luminescence for spatial mapping of mechanical stimuli, suggesting a path toward bionic pain perception. On that basis, a wireless biomimetic nociceptor system is developed and a smart pain reflex in a robotic hand and robot‐assisted biopsy surgery of rat and dog is achieved.