A two-dimensional terahertz smart wristband for integrated sensing and communication

TL;DR

This paper introduces a compact, flexible 2D THz wristband that integrates sensing and communication functionalities without external antennas, enabling advanced wearable IoT applications with high sensitivity and multi-parameter capabilities.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel monolithic graphene-based THz wristband that combines sensing and communication in a flexible, self-powered device with broad spectral response and high robustness.

Findings

Broadband THz detection from 0.25 to 4.24 THz with high responsivity

Achieved 97% accuracy in circuit fault diagnosis using CNN

Enabled secure on-body encrypted communication via dual-channel encoding

Abstract

The development of wearable devices for terahertz (THz) integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) is pivotal for forthcoming 6G Internet of Things (IoT) and wearable optoelectronics. However, existing THz system suffers from bulkiness, narrow spectral response and limited flexibility constrained by their dependence on external antennas, complex coupling architectures and rigid components. Here, we present a 2D THz smart wristband based on a graphene plasmon polariton atomic cavity (PPAC) array, which integrates sensing and communication within a monolithic microdetector. Operating without any external antenna, the compact and flexible device enables self-powered, polarization-sensitive and frequency-selective THz detection across a broad response spectrum from 0.25 to 4.24 THz, with a responsivity of 6 V/W, a response time of 62 ms, and mechanical robustness maintained over 2000 bending cycles. Notably, we further exploit its multi-parameter THz responses for dual-purpose ISAC functionality. For sensing, the polarization- and strain-dependent THz responses are utilized as high-dimensional features for a convolutional neural network (CNN), enabling circuit fault diagnosis with 97% accuracy. For communication, the device implements secure encrypted communication under simulated on-body wearing condition through dual-channel encoding of THz polarization and on-off signals. This 2D ISAC platform paves the way for miniaturized, intelligent wearable systems for advanced human-machine interaction.