The rapid advancement of human–machine interfaces and wearable devices necessitates display platforms that are mechanically modulable and capable of interacting with their environments while effectively communicating with users. However, current display technologies have yet to fully address these demands. This study presents a scalable luminescent fiber (LF) display platform designed to be mechanically modulable and interactive with users. Inspired by the silkworm spinning process, our fabrication technique continuously coats a luminous layer onto parallel dual-strand electrode fibers, resulting in LFs with a skin–core structure composed of core electrodes and a luminescent skin. By selecting conductive fibers with varying mechanical properties as inner electrodes, we can modulate the LF's mechanical characteristics over a range suitable for flexible displays, including stretching, bending, folding, and knotting. Additionally, the hydrophobicity and mechanical flexibility of the luminescent coating, along with the robust binding between the skin–core interfaces, ensure the LF's stable luminescence under complex mechanical stimuli and following multiple washes and extended use. Integration of machine learning and Internet of Things technologies enhances interactions between the LF display platform and users. This comprehensive system achieves voice recognition, numerical computing, semantic analysis, and intelligent interaction, all of which are incorporated into a human–machine interface that facilitates real-time human–display interaction. By emphasizing our fabrication strategy and adaptable design, this mechanically modulable and human–machine interactive LF display platform shows promise for diverse applications in human–machine interfaces, medical devices, soft robotics, and wearable sound–vision systems. Our study introduces a new concept of a light-emitting fiber display platform with a skin–core structure. This concept differentiates itself from existing research by addressing the key challenges of mechanical strength and user interactivity faced by ultraflexible displays. By utilizing core-electrode fibers with different mechanical properties, we can effectively regulate the mechanical performance of the luminescent fiber, ensuring compliance under diverse mechanical stimuli. Additionally, the resilient, hydrophobic, and luminous skin of the fiber guarantees stable luminance even in harsh conditions. The incorporation of artificial intelligence and Internet of Things technologies further enhances user interaction capabilities, enabling functions such as gender and age recognition, numerical calculations assistance, and semantic dialogue. Our work and the underlying concept bring insights to materials science by pushing the boundaries of fiber and fabric displays. With improved mechanical properties, enhanced user interactivity, and stability in challenging environments, our light-emitting fiber display platform opens new possibilities and drives innovation for applications such as artificial skin, soft machines, and human–computer interaction techniques.
Marine organisms rely on the integration of light, sound, and pressure sensing for essential activities such as communication, hunting, and predator evasion. Current bioinspired devices, however, are limited by independent sensing modules, leading to complex designs and reduced adaptability. This study addresses these challenges by developing a multifunctional flexible photoacoustic device (MFPAD) that integrates electroluminescence, piezoelectric vibration, and pressure sensing into a single structure. Using airflow-assisted electrospinning, the device's fibrous layers were fabricated to optimize mechanical properties and enable synchronized responses to luminescence, sound, and pressure. Evaluations showed that MFPAD is highly sensitive to pressure changes, with corresponding light emissions, and efficient sound output modulated by input voltage and frequency. The device also enabled real-time posture tracking in robotic fish using an image recognition algorithm based on luminescence. Additionally, deep learning models allowed for the reconstruction of missing key points during motion. These findings demonstrate the promising potential of MFPAD for advancing bioinspired systems with multimodal sensing capabilities, offering a scalable solution for complex environments.
Silk fibroin is a naturally abundant biomaterial renowned for its excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability, making it a promising candidate for biomedical applications like wound dressings. However, traditional silk fibroin materials often lack sufficient mechanical strength, adhesion, and the ability to modulate inflammation and oxidative stress-factors crucial for effective wound healing. To address these limitations, regenerated silk fibroin/magnesium ion [RSF/Mg(II)] composite films were developed by incorporating Mg(II) ions into RSF solutions. These films were characterized using Raman spectroscopy, mechanical testing, and biocompatibility assessments, and their wound-healing efficacy was evaluated in a mouse skin defect model. The RSF/Mg(II) composite films exhibited superior adhesion, higher transparency, and enhanced mechanical flexibility compared to pristine RSF films. They also demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties, effectively reducing cell apoptosis and reactive oxygen species levels in vitro. In vivo, the RSF/Mg Mg(II) composite films significantly accelerated wound healing in mice, improving epidermal thickness, collagen deposition, and promoting blood vessel formation. This study highlights the potential of RSF/Mg(II) composite films as advanced wound dressings with improved biocompatibility and biological activity, offering valuable insights for the development of Mg(II) ion-based biomaterials in wound healing and tissue regeneration applications.
Background: Currently, there is no ideal material available for posterior scleral reinforcement (PSR) to prevent the progression of high myopia. In this study, we investigated robust regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) hydrogels as potential grafts for PSR in animal experiments to evaluate their safety and biological reactions.Methods: PSR surgery was performed on the right eye of twenty-eight adult New Zealand white rabbits, with the left eye serving as a self-control. Ten rabbits were observed for 3 months, while 18 rabbits were observed for 6 months. The rabbits were evaluated using intraocular pressure (IOP), anterior segment and fundus photography, A- and B-ultrasound, optical coherence tomography (OCT), histology, and biomechanical tests.Results: No complications such as significant IOP fluctuation, anterior chamber inflammation, vitreous opacity, retinal lesion, infection, or material exposure were observed. Furthermore, no evidence of pathological changes in the optic nerve and retina, or structural abnormalities on OCT, were found. The RSF grafts were appropriately located at the posterior sclera and enclosed in fibrous capsules. The scleral thickness and collagen fiber content of the treated eyes increased after surgery. The ultimate stress of the reinforced sclera increased by 30.7%, and the elastic modulus increased by 33.0% compared to those of the control eyes at 6 months after surgery.Conclusion: Robust RSF hydrogels exhibited good biocompatibility and promoted the formation of fibrous capsules at the posterior sclera in vivo. The biomechanical properties of the reinforced sclera were strengthened. These findings suggest that RSF hydrogel is a potential material for PSR.
The co-delivery of multiple drugs using one drug carrier is a viable strategy to optimize drug dosage and reduce the side effects in chemotherapy. Herein, a hydrophilic animal protein (silk fibroin) and a hydrophobic plant protein (zein) were selected for preparing a composite drug carrier. Adapting our previously developed method for the preparation of regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) nanospheres, we prepared RSF/zein nanospheres that displayed an interesting structure including a single central hole. The particle size of the RSF/zein nanospheres was regulated from 150 to 460 nm by varying the preparation conditions, implying that such a drug carrier is suitable for both intravenous administration and lymphatic chemotherapy. Two anti-cancer drugs with different target sites, paclitaxel (PTX) and curcumin (CUR), were selected for the preparation of dual-drug-loaded CUR/PTX@RSF/zein nanospheres. Both drugs achieved a high loading capacity in the RSF/zein nanospheres, i.e., 8.2% for PTX and 12.1% for CUR. Subsequently, the encapsulated PTX and CUR were released from the RSF/zein nanospheres in a sustained manner for at least 7 days. Importantly, these dual-drug-loaded RSF/zein nanospheres exhibited a considerable synergistic therapeutic effect, showing more efficient suppression of in vitro cancer cell growth than free PTX or CUR, a combination of free PTX and CUR, or single-drug-loaded nanospheres. Therefore, the CUR/PTX@RSF/zein nanospheres developed in this study hold great potential for combination chemotherapy in future clinical applications.
This study proposes a rational strategy for the design, fabrication and system integration of the humanoid intelligent display platform (HIDP) to meet the requirements of highly humanized mechanical properties and intelligence for human-machine interfaces. The platform's sandwich structure comprises a middle light-emitting layer and surface electrodes, which consists of silicon elastomer embedded with phosphor and silk fibroin ionoelastomer, respectively. Both materials are highly stretchable and resilient, endowing the HIDP with skin-like mechanical properties and applicability in various extreme environments and complex mechanical stimulations. Furthermore, by establishing the numerical correlation between the amplitude change of animal sounds and the brightness variation, the HIDP realizes audiovisual interaction and successful identification of animal species with the aid of Internet of Things (IoT) and machine learning techniques. The accuracy of species identification reaches about 100% for 200 rounds of random testing. Additionally, the HIDP can recognize animal species and their corresponding frequencies by analyzing sound characteristics, displaying real-time results with an accuracy of approximately 99% and 93%, respectively. In sum, this study offers a rational route to designing intelligent display devices for audiovisual interaction, which can expedite the application of smart display devices in human-machine interaction, soft robotics, wearable sound-vision system and medical devices for hearing-impaired patients.