Self-powered neural intervention via piezoelectric nanogenerators

Piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs) are electromechanical energy-conversion devices constructed from piezoelectric materials. They convert physiological motion, local tissue deformation, or externally applied mechanical stimuli into localized electrical signals and have attracted considerable interest in self-powered neural interventions. Despite the rapid expansion of research in this field, the systematic understanding needed to guide translational optimization remains limited. This review delineates the current research landscape by organizing the discussion around mechanical inputs, piezoelectric transduction, neural responses, and functional restoration, thereby linking fundamental principles with representative application studies. This review discusses neural-interface-compatible materials, device architectures, and powering strategies for PENGs; the underlying neurobiological mechanisms; and recent advances in their applications across the peripheral, central, and autonomic nervous systems, neurodegenerative diseases, and neural interfaces. It further examines key barriers related to the precision of deep-tissue targeting, the long-term safety of implanted devices, and the lack of standardized frameworks for clinical translation. To this end, PENGs are systematically compared with other self-powered and wirelessly powered transduction technologies, and a standardized reporting framework linking device output to the biologically effective dose is proposed, while outlining future directions in multimodal energy coupling, closed-loop feedback, intelligent energy management, and the integration of piezoelectric stimulation with genetic, immune, and metabolic reprogramming. Collectively, this review aims to advance both fundamental research and clinical translation of PENGs in neural engineering.