Skin-like hydrogel devices for wearable sensing, soft robotics and beyond

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Robotics

Background:

• Hydrogels are promising soft biomaterials for skin-like electronics due to their biocompatibility and ionic sensing capabilities.
• Current skin-like hydrogel devices face limitations in functionality, stability, adhesion, and power consumption.
• Bridging the gap between biological systems and artificial machines requires overcoming these developmental hurdles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current development of skin-inspired hydrogel devices.
• To address key challenges in hydrogel-based electronic applications.
• To highlight advanced functionalities and applications of these devices.

Main Methods:

• Overview of hydrogel properties and strategies for enhancing toughness and conductivity.
• Description of approaches for improving hydrogel device performance (anti-dehydration, anti-freezing, adhesion).
• Highlighting state-of-the-art applications in wearable electronics, soft robotics, and energy harvesting.

Main Results:

• Strategies exist to enhance hydrogel toughness and conductivity for improved electronic performance.
• Advanced merits like anti-dehydration, anti-freezing, and adhesion are achievable.
• Skin-like hydrogel devices show potential in diverse applications, including wearables and robotics.

Conclusions:

• Significant progress has been made in developing advanced skin-like hydrogel devices.
• Overcoming limitations in stability, adhesion, and power consumption is crucial for widespread adoption.
• Future trends point towards more sophisticated and integrated hydrogel-based electronic systems.