(Keynote) Wearable Devices and Systems on Textiles for Biomedical Monitoring and Safety

Abstract

Great advances continue to be made in fields such wearable electronics, flexible electronics, functional polymers, and other soft materials. However, much of this research is field-specific, despite the enormous potential that the convergence of these research areas has to revolutionize personalized medicine, worker safety, and biomedical and environmental monitoring. We present our work in developing wearable devices and systems based on the convergence of multiple research areas in order to offer practical solutions for applications such as lighting and health monitors for safety vests; heart and perspiration monitors for athletic clothing; and other applications in real-time wearable bioelectric and biochemical monitoring. Intense research into wearable electronics results in many innovative devices and systems, e.g.: flexible polymer printed circuit boards (PCBs); roll-to-roll foil and other printed devices; printing and weaving of textiles; and special geometries for flexible interconnect between rigid components. Our lab develops alternative methods, including conductive polymer nanocomposites and metal transfer processes for wearable bioelectric sensors. We present textile-based wearable devices and systems for electrocardiogram (ECG), tissue impedance, and pressure sensors. Unlike many other techniques, our technologies and materials are highly compatible with clothing-based textiles, and result in non-polarizable electrodes for improved frequency response. Traditionally, biofluid-based biomedical sensors are fabricated in rigid substrates or flexible materials such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) that are bonded to rigid substrates. Free-standing flexible devices are developed for, e.g., perspiration sensors; however, such processes typically require long fabrication times, equipment in a cleanroom facility, and difficulty with integration onto textiles. Other devices employ porous materials to deliver biofluids, e.g., perspiration, by capillary forces; however, such devices are limited in fluid collection and suffer from evaporation issues. To overcome these and other limitations of current devices, we present printing-based fabrication processes that employ screen printable ink for biomedical sensors for biofluid analysis. These devices and systems can be fabricated on textiles that can be laundered, facilitating rugged wearable devices and systems for biomedical and environmental monitoring.