AsianScientist (Jan. 26, 2015) – Researchers have developed an adhesive gel that can act as a sheet sensor to measure biometric information by just sticking to the human body. Their results have been published in Nature Communications.
Biometric information is becoming increasingly important in an age of big data. Placing the sensor in direct contact with what is being measured would improve the accuracy of biometric measurements. In order to reduce the discomfort experienced when sensors are directly applied to the body, researchers have sought to fabricate electronic components on flexible, thin films.
Using materials with superior biocompatibility, a group of researchers led by Professor Takao Someya at the University of Tokyo have succeeded in making an adhesive gel that can be shaped with light. Furthermore, they used the gel to produce sheet sensors that can perform biometric measurements by sticking to the body.
When directly applied to human skin or the heart of a rat, these sheet sensors were able to detect bioelectric signals such as physical movement or electrical activity of the heart. The adhesive gel prevents the sheet sensor from slipping or falling off the surface during dynamic movement, and allows stable and long-term measurement.
The article can be found at: Lee et al. (2014) A Strain-Absorbing Design for Tissue–Machine Interfaces Using a Tunable Adhesive Gel.
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Source: University of Tokyo.
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