Kirigami‐Structured, Low‐Impedance, and Skin‐Conformal Electronics for Long‐Term Biopotential Monitoring and Human–Machine Interfaces
Meili Xia,
Jianwen Liu,
Beom Jin Kim
et al.
Abstract:Epidermal dry electrodes with high skin‐compliant stretchability, low bioelectric interfacial impedance, and long‐term reliability are crucial for biopotential signal recording and human–machine interaction. However, incorporating these essential characteristics into dry electrodes remains a challenge. Here, a skin‐conformal dry electrode is developed by encapsulating kirigami‐structured poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/silver nanowires (Ag NWs) film … Show more
“…41 Furthermore, Xia et al demonstrated kirigamistructured epidermal electrodes composed of PEDOT:PSS/ polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)/Ag NWs/polyurethane, featuring high stretchability, low interfacial impedance, and skin conformity. 42 Although these electrodes can conform well to human skin under various deformations and are utilized as stretchable epidermal electrodes, the absence of self-healing capabilities may render the electrodes susceptible to damage during utilization, particularly when subjected to stressful conditions such as severe compression, torsion, or stretching. Such conditions can significantly compromise the longevity of the electrode, thereby limiting its overall performance and durability.…”
Dry electrodes are vital tools for monitoring physiological signals in various applications. However, conventional dry electrodes encounter various limitations such as insufficient adhesion, poor antidisturbance, and discomfort in wearable electronics. In response to these challenges, this study introduces a polymeric dry electrode with excellent stretchability and low modulus to ensure comfort during signal acquisition. Furthermore, it features a low skin interface impedance, robust adhesion, and self-healing capabilities, ensuring reliable electrophysiological signal collection. The performance of the electrode can be rapidly restored with a self-healing capability when damaged in operation, and it can be broken into fragments when submerged in water after use due to its good solubility. Owing to the low interface impedance, good adhesion, self-healing capability, and water solubility, this dry electrode demonstrates significant advantages in high-quality and comfortable monitoring electrooculograms (EOG), electrocardiograms (ECG), and electromyograms (EMG). It shows the potential to provide reliable technical support for health monitoring and medical diagnosis while also reducing environmental impact.
“…41 Furthermore, Xia et al demonstrated kirigamistructured epidermal electrodes composed of PEDOT:PSS/ polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)/Ag NWs/polyurethane, featuring high stretchability, low interfacial impedance, and skin conformity. 42 Although these electrodes can conform well to human skin under various deformations and are utilized as stretchable epidermal electrodes, the absence of self-healing capabilities may render the electrodes susceptible to damage during utilization, particularly when subjected to stressful conditions such as severe compression, torsion, or stretching. Such conditions can significantly compromise the longevity of the electrode, thereby limiting its overall performance and durability.…”
Dry electrodes are vital tools for monitoring physiological signals in various applications. However, conventional dry electrodes encounter various limitations such as insufficient adhesion, poor antidisturbance, and discomfort in wearable electronics. In response to these challenges, this study introduces a polymeric dry electrode with excellent stretchability and low modulus to ensure comfort during signal acquisition. Furthermore, it features a low skin interface impedance, robust adhesion, and self-healing capabilities, ensuring reliable electrophysiological signal collection. The performance of the electrode can be rapidly restored with a self-healing capability when damaged in operation, and it can be broken into fragments when submerged in water after use due to its good solubility. Owing to the low interface impedance, good adhesion, self-healing capability, and water solubility, this dry electrode demonstrates significant advantages in high-quality and comfortable monitoring electrooculograms (EOG), electrocardiograms (ECG), and electromyograms (EMG). It shows the potential to provide reliable technical support for health monitoring and medical diagnosis while also reducing environmental impact.
To achieve accurate monitoring of bioelectrical signals, it is essential to use customizable bioelectrodes that can self‐adapt to the skin's surface topography. Ion‐conducting hydrogel has received significant attention in this field due to its softness, adhesion, and skin‐like mechanical properties. However, these bioelectrodes currently suffer from degradation of adhesion, electrical conductivity, and skin‐compliance when exposed to aqueous environments. This significantly limits the application of bioelectrodes. Herein, a customizable biohydrogel that can be applied on skin or fabric by solvent volatilization for liquid ink‐gel film conversion is reported. The biohydrogel's distinct characteristic of transitioning between a liquid and hydrogel phase establishes superb conformal contact and dynamic compliance with the epidermis. This effectively eliminates motion artifacts and results in lower contact impedance and noise in both static and dynamic states when compared to existing bioelectrodes. The biohydrogel is applied to the cotton fabric to create electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring garments. These garments enable the acquisition of ECG signals with high accuracy in aqueous environment for over 72 h. Besides, the biohydrogel‐based garments outperform the commercial gel electrodes by 83.5% in signal‐to‐noise ratio. Additionally, the cotton/biohydrogel electrode facilitates multi‐channel, high‐fidelity recording of ECG signals, enabling high‐performance capture and classification of ECG waveforms across multiple channels.
Long‐term biopotential monitoring requires high‐performance biocompatible wearable dry electrodes. But currently, it is challenging to establish a form‐preserving fit with the skin, resulting in high interface impedance and motion artifacts. This research aims to present an innovative solution using an all‐green organic dry electrode that eliminates the aforementioned challenges. The dry electrode is prepared by introducing biocompatible maltitol into the chosen conductive polymer, poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate). Thanks to the secondary doping and plasticizer effect of maltitol, the dry electrode exhibits good stretchability (62%), strong self‐adhesion (0.46 N/cm), high conductivity (102 S/cm), and low Young's modulus (7 MPa). It can always form a conformal contact with the skin even during body movements. Together with good electrical properties, the electrode enables a lower skin contact impedance compared to the current standard Ag/AgCl gel electrode. Consequently, the application of this dry electrode in bioelectrical signal measurement (electromyography, electrocardiography, electroencephalography) and long‐term biopotential monitoring was successfully demonstrated.
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