Drawn-on-Skin Sensors from Fully Biocompatible Inks toward High-Quality Electrophysiology

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Wearable Technology

Background:

• The demand for personalized health monitoring drives innovation in wearable electronic devices.
• Current technologies for on-demand electronic fabrication on biological tissues lack thorough biocompatibility investigation.
• Accurate, long-term in vivo monitoring with in situ fabricated devices remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present the first fully biocompatible, on-skin fabricated electronics for diverse cell types and tissues.
• To evaluate the mechanical, electrical, and biocompatibility properties of novel drawn-on-skin (DoS) ink.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of multiday in vivo electrophysiological monitoring using DoS electronics.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of on-skin electronics using a novel drawn-on-skin (DoS) ink.
• Assessment of material properties including mechanical stability and electrical performance under various conditions.
• Biocompatibility testing with cardiomyocytes, neurons, and both mouse and human skin tissues.
• In vivo electrophysiological signal recording over multiple days using DoS sensors.

Main Results:

• The DoS ink demonstrates robust mechanical and electrical properties, maintaining performance across different writing conditions.
• Excellent biocompatibility was confirmed with various cell types (cardiomyocytes, neurons) and skin tissues (mouse, human).
• High signal-to-noise ratios were achieved in multiday in vivo electrophysiological recordings, showcasing sensor fidelity.

Conclusions:

• The developed DoS electronics represent a breakthrough in biocompatible wearable technology for health monitoring.
• The technology offers a customizable and on-demand solution for accurate, long-term electrophysiological monitoring.
• This innovation holds significant potential for personalized diagnostics and therapeutic applications.