Strategies for body-conformable electronics
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Abstract
Progress and potentialUnobstructive, long-term, and high-fidelity human body sensing and stimulation must overcome the challenges of manifold mismatches between bio-tissues and man-made materials. The emergence of body-conformable electronics is a promising solution to these inherent obstacles. In the last two decades, various strategies have been developed to promote bio-electronics conformability by (1) improving device thinness and compliance, (2) enhancing bio-electronics interfacial adhesion, and (3) refining the bio-integration process. A successful body-conformable electronic device can only be created through comprehensive consideration of all three aspects. This review summarizes recent advancements in these three directions and proposes a holistic strategy. We envision that future research efforts in body-conformable electronics will focus on new functionalities, enhanced performance, and personalization. The rapid progress in body-conformable electronics shall meet the ever-growing demands in telemedicine, mobile health, points of care, and human-machine interfaces.SummaryAdvances in flexible and stretchable electronics have enabled an unprecedented level of coupling between electronics and bio-tissues by overcoming obstacles associated with the bio-tissues' curvilinearity, softness, deformability, and wetness. This review begins by detailing the outstanding challenges in achieving body-conformable electronics stemming from the disparate properties of bio-tissues and man-made materials and the complexity of their interfaces. Given tissue properties, an existing mechanics model has revealed how device softness and interfacial adhesion govern the bio-electronics conformability. Therefore, we first summarize methods for improving the mechanical compliance of electronics through both material engineering and structural design. Then, we discuss strategies to enhance bio-electronics adhesion in both dry and wet environments. We point out that innovative bio-electronics integration procedures also have a significant impact on bio-electronics conformability. We conclude by providing an outlook into future opportunities and proposing a holistic approach to strategizing body-conformable electronics.Graphical abstract