At the Waseda University in Japan, researchers have come up with a new, cheaper way of producing electronic devices that are flexible, elastic, and adhere to the skin. This development may help body monitoring electronic skin patches that interface with smartphone apps to become commonly used in medicine and by consumers.
The technology relies on elastomeric films only 1 μm thick that can safely contain electronic components sandwiched between them. An inkjet printer is used to put down lines of silver for wiring the components together. Importantly, there’s no soldering or gluing involved, which allows for a thinner final product that is highly flexible without fear of damage to the electrical connections.
The team demonstrated the technology by integrating an electronic chip and an LED into a patch that is easily conforms to the skin and continues working for extended time periods.
Study in Journal of Materials Chemistry C: Sandwich fixation of electronic elements using free-standing elastomeric nanosheets for low-temperature device processes…
Via: Waseda University…