Magnetic Skin for Touchless Human–Computer Interaction to Prevent Healthcare‐Associated Infections

Healthcare‐associated infections are a major problem in hospitals, and regular disinfection methods cannot guarantee that all pathogens are eliminated. Non‐contact human–computer interactions can effectively reduce the risk of contamination by preventing direct contact between medical staff and electronic products. In this study, a new type of flexible and highly malleable magnetic skin composed of a mixture of an elastic matrix and permanent magnetic powder is demonstrated. In addition, the relationship between the magnetic skin properties and the elastic matrix, magnetic powder material, and their ratio is studied. In addition, the application of magnetic skin in gesture recognition (representing discrete gesture input) and magnetic positioning (representing continuous input) is explored to easily achieve touchless human–computer interactions. Both perform well and provide a new way for future human–computer interaction. A new type of flexible and highly malleable magnetic skin, composed of elastic matrix and permanent magnetic powder, is presented. The relationship between magnetic skin properties and elastic matrix, magnetic powder material, and their ratio is studied. The application of magnetic skin in gesture recognition (discrete gesture input) and magnetic positioning (continuous input) is explored to achieve touchless human–computer interaction.