Precision thermometry of the skin can, together with other measurements, provide clinically relevant information about cardiovascular health, cognitive state, malignancy and many other important aspects of human physiology. Here, we introduce an ultrathin, compliant skin-like sensor/actuator technology that can pliably laminate onto the epidermis to provide continuous, accurate thermal characterizations that are unavailable with other methods. Examples include non-invasive spatial mapping of skin temperature with millikelvin precision, and simultaneous quantitative assessment of tissue thermal conductivity. Such devices can also be implemented in ways that reveal the time-dynamic influence of blood flow and perfusion on these properties. Experimental and theoretical studies establish the underlying principles of operation, and define engineering guidelines for device design. Evaluation of subtle variations in skin temperature associated with mental activity, physical stimulation and vasoconstriction/dilation along with accurate determination of skin hydration through measurements of thermal conductivity represent some important operational examples.

Means for high-density multiparametric physiological mapping and stimulation are critically important in both basic and clinical cardiology. Current conformal electronic systems are essentially 2D sheets, which cannot cover the full epicardial surface or maintain reliable contact for chronic use without sutures or adhesives. Here we create 3D elastic membranes shaped precisely to match the epicardium of the heart via the use of 3D printing, as a platform for deformable arrays of multifunctional sensors, electronic and optoelectronic components. Such integumentary devices completely envelop the heart, in a form-fitting manner, and possess inherent elasticity, providing a mechanically stable bioti-/abiotic interface during normal cardiac cycles. Component examples range from actuators for electrical, thermal and optical stimulation, to sensors for pH, temperature and mechanical strain. The semiconductor materials include silicon, gallium arsenide and gallium nitride, co-integrated with metals, metal oxides and polymers, to provide these and other operational capabilities. Ex vivo physiological experiments demonstrate various functions and methodological possibilities for cardiac research and therapy.

Non-invasive, biomedical devices have the potential to provide important, quantitative data for the assessment of skin diseases and wound healing. Traditional methods either rely on qualitative visual and tactile judgments of a professional and/or data obtained using instrumentation with forms that do not readily allow intimate integration with sensitive skin near a wound site. Here we report a skin-like electronics platform that can softly and reversibly laminate perilesionally at wounds to provide highly accurate, quantitative data of relevance to the management of surgical wound healing. Clinical studies on patients using thermal sensors and actuators in fractal layouts provide precise time-dependent mapping of temperature and thermal conductivity of the skin near the wounds. Analytical and simulation results establish the fundamentals of the sensing modalities, the mechanics of the system, and strategies for optimized design. The use of this type of ‘epidermal’ electronics system in a realistic, clinical setting with human subjects establishes a set of practical procedures in disinfection, reuse, and protocols for quantitative measurement. The results have the potential to address important unmet needs in chronic wound management.

We describe the use of semiconductor nanomaterials, advanced fabrication methods and unusual device designs for a class of electronics capable of integration onto the inner and outer surfaces of thin, elastomeric sheets in closed-tube geometries, specially formed for mounting on the fingertips. Multifunctional systems of this type allow electrotactile stimulation with electrode arrays multiplexed using silicon nanomembrane (Si NM) diodes, high-sensitivity strain monitoring with Si NM gauges, and tactile sensing with elastomeric capacitors. Analytical calculations and finite element modeling of the mechanics quantitatively capture the key behaviors during fabrication/assembly, mounting and use. The results provide design guidelines that highlight the importance of the NM geometry in achieving the required mechanical properties. This type of technology could be used in applications ranging from human-machine interfaces to 'instrumented' surgical gloves and many others.

No abstract

Characterization of the thermal properties of the surface and sub-surface structures of the skin can reveal the degree of hydration, the rate of blood flow in near-surface micro and macrovasculature, and other important physiological information of relevance to dermatological and overall health status. Here, we introduce a soft, stretchable thermal sensor, based on the so-called three omega (i.e. 3ω) method, for accurate characterization of the thermal conductivity and diffusivity of materials systems, such as the skin, that can be This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. 5 challenging to measure using established techniques. Experiments on skin at different body locations and under different physical states demonstrate the possibilities. Systematic studies establish the underlying principles of operation in these unusual systems, thereby allowing rational design and use of these types of devices, through combined investigations based on analytical modeling, experimental measurements and finite element analysis. The findings create broad opportunities for the use of 3ω methods in biology, with utility ranging from the integration with surgical tools or implantable devices to non-invasive uses in clinical diagnostics and therapeutics.

Microfabrication techniques common in commercial semiconductor manufacturing were used to produce carbon/nitroazobenzene/Cu/Au molecular junctions with a range of areas from 3×3 to 400×400 μm, starting with 100-mm-diameter silicon wafers. The approach exhibited high yield (90-100%) and excellent reproducibility of the current density (relative standard deviation of typically 15%) and 32 devices on a chip. Electron-beam-deposited carbon films are introduced as substrates and may be applied at the full wafer level before dicing and electrochemical deposition of the molecular layer. The current scaled with the device area over a factor of >600, and the current density was quantitatively consistent with structurally similar molecular junctions made by other techniques. The current densities were weakly dependent on temperature over the range of 100-390 K, and maximum current densities above 400 A/cm2 were observed without breakdown. To simulate processing and operation conditions, the junction stability was tested at elevated temperatures. The JV curves of microfabricated junctions were unchanged after 22 h at 100 °C. A ∼50% increase in the current density was observed after 20 h at 150 °C but then remained constant for an additional 24 h. Parallel fabrication, thermal stability, and high yield are required for practical applications of molecular electronics, and the reported results provide important steps toward integration of molecular electronic devices with commercial processes and devices.

Diffusion of metal atoms onto a molecular monolayer attached to a conducting surface permits electronic contact to the molecules with minimal heat transfer or structural disturbance. Surface-mediated metal deposition (SDMD) involves contact between "cold" diffusing metal atoms and molecules, due to shielding of the molecules from direct exposure to metal vapor. Measurement of the current through the molecular layer during metal diffusion permits observation of molecular conductance for junctions containing as few as one molecule. Discrete conductance steps were observed for 1-10 molecules within a monolayer during a single deposition run, corresponding to "recruitment" of additional molecules as the contact area between the diffusing Au layer and molecules increases. For alkane monolayers, the molecular conductance measured with SDMD exhibited an exponential dependence on molecular length with a decay constant (β) of 0.90 per CH(2) group, comparable to that observed by other techniques. Molecular conductance values were determined for three azobenzene molecules, and correlated with the offset between the molecular HOMO and the contact Fermi level, as expected for hole-mediated tunneling. Current-voltage curves were obtained during metal deposition showed no change in shape for junctions containing 1, 2, and 10 molecules, implying minimal intermolecular interactions as single molecule devices transitioned into several molecules devices. SDMD represents a "soft" metal deposition method capable of providing single molecule conductance values, then providing quantitative comparisons to molecular junctions containing 10(6) to 10(10) molecules.