With the development of artificial intelligence, stiffness sensors are extensively utilized in various fields, and their integration with robots for automated palpation has gained significant attention. This study presents a broad range self-powered stiffness sensor based on the triboelectric nanogenerator (Stiff-TENG) for variable inclusions in soft objects detection. The Stiff-TENG employs a stacked structure comprising an indium tin oxide film, an elastic sponge, a fluorinated ethylene propylene film with a conductive ink electrode, and two acrylic pieces with a shielding layer. Through the decoupling method, the Stiff-TENG achieves stiffness detection of objects within 1.0 s. The output performance and characteristics of the TENG for different stiffness objects under 4 mm displacement are analyzed. The Stiff-TENG is successfully used to detect the heterogeneous stiffness structures, enabling effective recognition of variable inclusions in soft object, reaching a recognition accuracy of 99.7%. Furthermore, its adaptability makes it well-suited for the detection of pathological conditions within the human body, as pathological tissues often exhibit changes in the stiffness of internal organs. This research highlights the innovative applications of TENG and thereby showcases its immense potential in healthcare applications such as palpation which assesses pathological conditions based on organ stiffness.

Electronic textiles (e-textiles), having the capability of interacting with the human body and surroundings, are changing our everyday life in fundamental and meaningful ways. Yet, the expansion of the field of e-textiles is still limited by the lack of stable and biocompatible power sources with aesthetic designs. Here, we report a rechargeable solid-state Zn/MnO₂ fiber battery with stable cyclic performance exceeding 500 hours while maintaining 98.0% capacity after more than 1000 charging/recharging cycles. The mechanism of the high electrical and mechanical performance due to the graphene oxide–embedded polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel electrolytes was rationalized by Monte Carlo simulation and finite element analysis. With a collection of key features including thin, light weight, economic, and biocompatible as well as high energy density, the Zn/MnO₂ fiber battery could seamlessly be integrated into a multifunctional on-body e-textile, which provides a stable power unit for continuous and simultaneous heart rate, temperature, humidity, and altitude monitoring.