In the evolving field of sports science and technology, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have emerged as a transformative solution for motion data collection and athletic performance monitoring. These devices not only address the long-standing challenge of energy supply in wearable technologies but also introduce a new paradigm in intelligent, self-powered sensing systems. By integrating energy harvesting with advanced biomechanical sensing, TENGs provide real-time insights into athletes’ movements without the need for external power sources.

Beyond their self-powering capability, TENGs offer three major innovations that redefine current sports monitoring frameworks:

- Multimodal sensing, enabling simultaneous capture of kinetic, kinematic, and physiological parameters with high sensitivity;

- Flexible and lightweight architectures, allowing seamless embedding into wearables or sports equipment without restricting motion;

- Environmental robustness, ensuring stable performance across varied sporting conditions, including outdoor and high-impact settings.

This dual-functionality of energy harvesting and precise data acquisition opens new avenues for applications such as AI-assisted training optimization, continuous joint angle monitoring during dynamic movements, and personalized injury prevention systems. Importantly, these capabilities are not mere enhancements of existing sensor technologies but represent new measurement modalities that were previously unattainable due to power or integration limitations.

This Research Topic aims to consolidate interdisciplinary advances that leverage the unique potential of TENGs in sports science. We welcome contributions that retain TENG as the central focus, exploring its material development, system design, and applications in sports analytics. Submissions should go beyond general themes like training optimization or motion analysis unless they are directly tied to the technological innovation brought by TENG.

We invite articles covering, but not limited to, the following themes:

- Design, fabrication, and integration of TENGs in sports wearables and equipment

- Self-powered biomechanical sensing systems for real-time feedback

- Case studies of TENG-based monitoring platforms in real-world sporting scenarios

- AI/ML-enhanced analysis based on TENG-generated data

- Challenges in data reliability, calibration, and multi-sport adaptation

- Interdisciplinary applications combining material science, kinesiology, and data engineering

We encourage submissions in various formats, including original research, reviews, case reports, and technical notes, to advance the practical and theoretical understanding of TENG technology in sports.

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Triboelectric Nanogenerators: A Self-Powered Frontier in Sports Monitoring and Performance Optimization