Active-Sensing Epidermal Stretchable Bioelectronic Patch for Noninvasive, Conformal, and Wireless Tendon Monitoring

Abstract

Sensors capable of monitoring dynamic mechanics of tendons throughout a body in real time could bring systematic information about a human body’s physical condition, which is beneficial for avoiding muscle injury, checking hereditary muscle atrophy, and so on. However, the development of such sensors has been hindered by the requirement of superior portability, high resolution, and superb conformability. Here, we present a wearable and stretchable bioelectronic patch for detecting tendon activities. It is made up of a piezoelectric material, systematically optimized from architectures and mechanics, and exhibits a high resolution of 5.8×10−5 N with a linearity parameter of R2=0.999. Additionally, a tendon real-time monitoring and healthcare system is established by integrating the patch with a micro controller unit (MCU), which is able to process collected data and deliver feedback for exercise evaluation. Specifically, through the patch on the ankle, we measured the maximum force on the Achilles tendon during jumping which is about 16312 N, which is much higher than that during normal walking (3208 N) and running (5909 N). This work not only provides a strategy for facile monitoring of the variation of the tendon throughout the body but also throws light on the profound comprehension of human activities.

Recent Advance in Stretchable Self‐Powered Piezoelectric Sensors: Trends, Challenges, and Solutions

“…Stretchable structural designs combined with elastomer as substrates or encapsulating materials is another efficient approach to transform hard-to-stretch PVDF film into a stretchable form. [66,107,108] However, there exists a prominent tradeoff between the piezoelectricity and stretchability in stretchable structural designs. [67,72] On the one hand, stretchable architectures are usually made by subtractive manufacturing of piezoelectric materials where hard-to-stretch component is partially removed for improved stretchability.…”

“…Reproduced with permission from. [107] Copyright 2021, American Association for the Advancement of Science. b) Ultrathin and stretchable seismocardiography sensing e-tattoo based on filamentary serpentine network of PVDF films.…”

“…a) Active-sensing epidermal stretchable piezoelectric patch for noninvasive, conformal, and wireless tendon monitoring. Reproduced with permission from [107]. Copyright 2021, American Association for the Advancement of Science.…”

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