Soft and Biointegrated Multimodal Sensors for Next–Generation Human–Machine Interfaces

Human–machine interaction represents a rapidly advancing field at the intersection of materials science, electronics, and bioengineering. Progress in soft and stretchable materials has enabled the creation of sensing platforms that intimately conform to the human body, offering mechanical compliance and high signal fidelity in dynamic environments. Recent breakthroughs in biointegrated and multimodal sensor technologies have expanded the range of detectable signals—from mechanical and thermal cues to electrophysiological and biochemical data—making it possible to design highly interactive systems that support applications in healthcare, neuroprosthetics, assistive technologies, robotics, and immersive interfaces. Despite these strides, key challenges persist in integrating diverse signal types within a single platform, maintaining robustness during long-term use, achieving low-noise operation, and ensuring manufacturability at scale. Bridging these gaps requires new solutions in materials design, device architectures, and system integration that allow sensors to function seamlessly as extensions of the human body.

This Research Topic aims to advance the understanding and development of soft, biointegrated, and multimodal sensors for enhancing human–machine interaction. The primary goal is to explore strategies that enable these sensors to achieve high accuracy, stability, and biocompatibility while capturing multiple streams of physiological and environmental information in complex real-world settings. Contributions are encouraged that address fundamental questions related to signal transduction in compliant materials, multimodal data fusion, and adaptive interfaces. The Topic also seeks to highlight emerging research that connects materials innovations to functional system performance, including demonstrations that translate laboratory prototypes into practical devices for clinical, robotic, or interactive applications.

To gather further insights in soft and biointegrated sensing technologies for human–machine interaction, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

- Soft and stretchable sensor materials for conformal interfacing with the human body
- Skin-integrated, wearable, and biointegrated sensing platforms
- Multimodal sensors for mechanical, thermal, electrophysiological, biochemical, ultrasound, and motion-related signals
- Electronic skin and tactile sensing systems
- Distributed sensing architectures and scalable sensor arrays
- Interfacial materials and mechanics for robust and stable biointegration
- Low-noise, energy-efficient, and self-powered sensor systems
- Multimodal data fusion, signal processing, and machine learning for interpretation
- Sensors for healthcare monitoring, prosthetics, rehabilitation, robotics, and immersive assistive systems
- Translational studies addressing device reliability, usability, and real-world deployment

We welcome Original Research, Review, Mini Review, and Perspective articles that contribute fundamental insights, engineering advances, or application-driven breakthroughs within this scope.