Fish-Scale-Inspired Braiding Yarns for Intelligent Rescue Ropes

Smart rescue ropes equipped with intelligent prewarning and proactive monitoring functionalities are of critical significance for emergency rescue operations. However, the inadequate mechanical properties and insufficient antitorsional interference of fiber-based strain sensors limit their rope application in highly hazardous and complex environments. Herein, we propose a smart anti-interference and stress visualization rope (SSVR) with a triple-braided architecture, incorporating high-strength aramid fibers, 72-strand nylon, and a fish-scale-inspired sensing braided mandrel (SPLY) composed of polyester/latex as the core sensing element. Featuring an anisotropic scaly architecture, the SPLY exhibits ultrasensitive tensile sensing performance (GF = 2068.11, <i>R</i>² = 0.986) along with outstanding durability (>10,000 cycles). The self-locking mechanism of interlocking fish-scale units actively suppresses signal interference induced by torsional or compressive stresses, thereby ensuring stable strain monitoring under multidirectional mechanical coupling. The outer aramid sheath provides robust mechanical protection (>20 kN), flame retardancy, and chemical resistance, while an integrated data analysis module enables real-time force monitoring and active warning. The SSVR system was proposed. The optimized sensing rescue rope (SSR) was integrated into the SSVR system for real-time stress monitoring, smart action recognition (loading, climbing, abseiling, and falling), and active response. The proposed strategy paves the way for next-generation intelligent safety systems in demanding environments.