Abstract
Materials used in wearable and implantable electronic devices should match the mechanical properties of biological tissues, which are inherently soft and deformable. In comparison to conventional rigid electronics, soft bioelectronics can provide accurate and real-time monitoring of physiological signals, improve comfort, and enable altogether new modalities for sensing. This article highlights recent progress, identifies technical challenges, and offers possible solutions for the emerging field of stretchable bioelectronics. We organize the content into three topical categories: (1) biological integration of soft electronic materials, (2) materials and mechanics, and (3) soft robotics. Finally, we conclude this article with a discussion on the outlook of the field and future challenges.
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Acknowledgements
This report summarizes scientific progress presented and discussed at the MRS/Kavli Future of Materials Workshop on “Flexible and Stretchable Bioelectronics.” This workshop, sponsored by MRS Bulletin and the Kavli Foundation, was held after the 2017 MRS Spring Meeting in Phoenix, Ariz. The purpose of the meeting was to identify trends, challenges, and blind spots in the basic materials science, biological integration, and commercialization for this interdisciplinary field. The authors thank the speakers and panelists at the workshop for their inspirational talks and the attendees for their participation in discussions. D.J.L. acknowledges support from the National Institutes of Health Director’s New Innovator Award 1DP2EB022358-01.
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Joshipura, I.D., Finn, M., Tan, S.T.M. et al. Stretchable bioelectronics—Current and future. MRS Bulletin 42, 960–967 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs.2017.270
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs.2017.270