Sustainably Powered, Multifunctional Flexible Feedback Implant by the Bifacial Design and Si Photovoltaics.

Advanced design and integration of functioning devices with secured power is of interest for many applications that require complicated, sophisticated, or multifunctional processes in confined environments such as in human bodies. Here, strategies for design and realization are introduced for multifunctional feedback implants with the bifacial design and silicon (Si) photovoltaics in flexible forms. The approaches provide efficient design spaces for flexible Si photovoltaics facing up for sustainable powering and multiple electronic components for feedback functions facing down for sensing, processing, and stimulating in human bodies. The computational and experimental results including in vivo assessments ensure feasibility of the approaches by demonstrating feedback multifunctions, power-harvesting in milliwatts, and mechanical compatibility for operations in live tissues. This work should useful for wide range of applications that require sustainable power and advanced multifunctions.

Flexible-Device Injector with a Microflap Array for Subcutaneously Implanting Flexible Medical Electronics.

Implantable electronics in soft and flexible forms can reduce undesired outcomes such as irritations and chronic damages to surrounding biological tissues due to the improved mechanical compatibility with soft tissues. However, the same mechanical flexibility also makes it difficult to insert such implants through the skin because of reduced stiffness. In this paper, a flexible-device injector that enables the subcutaneous implantation of flexible medical electronics is reported. The injector consists of a customized blade at the tip and a microflap array which holds the flexible implant while the injector penetrates through soft tissues. The microflap array eliminates the need of additional materials such as adhesives that require an extended period to release a flexible medical electronic implant from an injector inside the skin. The mechanical properties of the injection system during the insertion process are experimentally characterized, and the injection of a flexible optical pulse sensor and electrocardiogram sensor is successfully demonstrated in vivo in live pig animal models to establish the practical feasibility of the concept.

Generation of electrical power under human skin by subdermal solar cell arrays for implantable bioelectronic devices.

Medical electronic implants can significantly improve people's health and quality of life. These implants are typically powered by batteries, which usually have a finite lifetime and therefore must be replaced periodically using surgical procedures. Recently, subdermal solar cells that can generate electricity by absorbing light transmitted through skin have been proposed as a sustainable electricity source to power medical electronic implants in bodies. However, the results to date have been obtained with animal models. To apply the technology to human beings, electrical performance should be characterized using human skin covering the subdermal solar cells. In this paper, we present electrical performance results (up to 9.05mW/cm2) of the implantable solar cell array under 59 human skin samples isolated from 10 cadavers. The results indicate that the power densities depend on the thickness and tone of the human skin, e.g., higher power was generated under thinner and brighter skin. The generated power density is high enough to operate currently available medical electronic implants such as pacemakers that require tens of microwatt.

Stretchable Multichannel Electromyography Sensor Array Covering Large Area for Controlling Home Electronics with Distinguishable Signals from Multiple Muscles.

Physiological signals provide important information for biomedical applications and, more recently, in the form of wearable electronics for active interactions between bodies and external environments. Multiple physiological sensors are often required to map distinct signals from multiple points over large areas for more diverse applications. In this paper, we present a reusable, multichannel, surface electromyography (EMG) sensor array that covers multiple muscles over relatively large areas, with compliant designs that provide different levels of stiffness for repetitive uses, without backing layers. Mechanical and electrical characteristics along with distinct measurements from different muscles demonstrate the feasibility of the concept. The results should be useful to actively control devices in the environment with one array of wearable sensors, as demonstrated with home electronics.

Adhesiveless Transfer Printing of Ultrathin Microscale Semiconductor Materials by Controlling the Bending Radius of an Elastomeric Stamp.

High-performance electronic devices integrated onto unconventional substrates provide opportunities for use in diverse applications, such as wearable or implantable forms of electronic devices. However, the interlayer adhesives between the electronic devices and substrates often limit processing temperature or cause electrical or thermal resistance at the interface. This paper introduces a very simple but effective transfer printing method that does not require an interlayer adhesive. Controlling the bending radius of a simple flat stamp enables picking up or printing of microscale semiconductor materials onto rigid, curvilinear, or flexible surfaces without the aid of a liquid adhesive. Theoretical and experimental studies reveal the underlying mechanism of the suggested approach. Adhesiveless printing of thin Si plates onto diverse substrates demonstrates the capability of this method.

Subdermal Flexible Solar Cell Arrays for Powering Medical Electronic Implants.

A subdermally implantable flexible photovoltatic (IPV) device is proposed for supplying sustainable electric power to in vivo medical implants. Electric properties of the implanted IPV device are characterized in live animal models. Feasibility of this strategy is demonstrated by operating a flexible pacemaker with the subdermal IPV device which generates DC electric power of ≈647 µW under the skin.

Geckoprinting: assembly of microelectronic devices on unconventional surfaces by transfer printing with isolated gecko setal arrays.

Developing electronics in unconventional forms provides opportunities to expand the use of electronics in diverse applications including bio-integrated or implanted electronics. One of the key challenges lies in integrating semiconductor microdevices onto unconventional substrates without glue, high pressure or temperature that may cause damage to microdevices, substrates or interfaces. This paper describes a solution based on natural gecko setal arrays that switch adhesion mechanically on and off, enabling pick and place manipulation of thin microscale semiconductor materials onto diverse surfaces including plants and insects whose surfaces are usually rough and irregular. A demonstration of functional 'geckoprinted' microelectronic devices provides a proof of concept of our results in practical applications.