Abstract

Flexible capacitive pressure sensors (CPS) have emerged as transformative components in next-generation wearable electronics, demonstrating unparalleled performance in precision health monitoring, human-robot interaction interfaces, and industrial Internet of Things (IoT) applications due to their unique performance advantages. Compared with traditional resistive or piezoresistive sensing alternatives, capacitive pressure sensors exhibit superior energy efficiency, enhanced pressure sensitivity, and extended dynamic linear response ranges, driven by optimized dielectric layer architectures and advanced stress distribution modulation mechanisms. These have been achieved through modular sensor platforms through the tailoring of dielectric composites, implementation of gradient dielectric architectures, and innovation in contactless charge-transfer protocols, enabling scalable deployment across diverse biomedical and industrial applications. This review will systematically discuss the recent advancements in flexible CPS from the aspects of dielectric layer materials, the structural design of dielectric layer, and the electrode layer architecture. Emphasis will be placed on the challenges and innovative approaches to enhance sensitivity, expand linear working range, and reduce response time, while cutting-edge research directions such as artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted design and reliability evaluation systems, and their major application areas will be analyzed in depth. Finally, the current technological bottlenecks and future development trends will also be discussed prospectively.