Exible Electronics Research Articles

FLEXIBLE IMPLANTABLE PEDIATRIC TOTAL ARTIFICIAL HEARTS: THE FUTURE IS HERE

In pediatric patients with congenital heart diseases need for ventricular assist devices adds on to risk score, especially in single ventricle situations. If technology provides with devices that could t into the available pericardial space without venous compression, total articial hearts would be the acceptable rst option in pediatric patients with indications for the same, the repertoire of which is continuously expanding with availability of smaller devices and emerging horizon of drive less articial hearts. Borderline situations can be very correctly evaluated using virtual t technologies. Of around 1000 TAH implants worldwide, less than 5% are pediatric, the volume of which would increase exponentially if exible implantable pumps with adequate hemodynamics emerge in the eld. Though initial applications centre on bridge to transplant, emerging technologies would make it feasible as destination therapy. Syncardia 50cc and evolving versions of Saispandan, based on hybrid bearing less switched reluctance motors which are ultra miniaturized are exciting prospects. But the future belongs to exible articial organs which would include implantable micro pumps that are centrifugally levitated with specialized impeller coating and CET charging methods. Total articial hearts would be the gold standard management in horizon for pediatric biventricular failure. Use of soft materials and exible electronics with tissue compatible materials are emerging fast to revolutionize the domain of cardiac surgical practice. Future is for exible articial organs – pediatric total articial hearts, microuidac lungs to begin with.

Organic and Hybrid Materials for Flexible Electronics

This is a special issue dedicated to the fascinating fi eld of fl exible electronics, and it stems from one of the Symposia held at the European Materials Research Society (E-MRS) Spring Meeting from May 14 th to 18 th 2012 in Strasbourg (France): Symposium H “ Organic and Hybrid Materials for Flexible Electronics: Properties and Applications ”. The symposium aimed at bringing together key researchers in the above mentioned fi eld in order to stimulate discussions regarding the main challenges still to be faced towards the widespread application of fl exible electronics, with contributions covering both fundamental properties of novel semiconducting organic and hybrid materials and their effi cient integration in functional devices mainly by means of, but not limited to, solutionbased processes. The symposium was organized by Dr. Mario Caironi (Istituto

Cable‐Type Flexible Lithium Ion Battery Based on Hollow Multi‐Helix Electrodes

An important focus in product design is the creation of practical and aesthetic devices. In portable electronics, in particular, the limiting factor is often the shape of the battery; indeed, removal of this battery restriction would constitute a disruptive technology that could open up a path for design innovation. [ 1 ] However, despite the development of smaller, thinner, and lighter batteries, the existing battery technology is still far from realizing such design fl exibility, mainly owing to the fi xed shapes, i.e., cylindrical, prismatic, or pouch shape. [ 2 ] Hence, there is increasing recognition of the need for a new concept that would permit various product designs previously impossible with traditional technologies. To this end, fl exible batteries are considered a promising solution, owing to their potential to adapt to mechanical stress and accordingly change shape. Furthermore, the progress made in fl exible electronics such as roll-up displays and wearable electronics would receive a strong stimulus with the development of bendable/twistable batteries. [ 3 ] Several recent studies of energy conversion devices have focused on the development of fl exible batteries or supercapacitors [ 4–7 ] using soft materials such as poly mer electrolytes, [ 8 ] nanometer-sized active materials, [ 9–14 ]

Articulation of surfaces for bio-applications

Materials science and engineering is witnessing an increasing global focus on the materials related to energy, environment, and medical applications. The Surface Engineering Committee of the Materials Processing & Manufacturing Division (MPMD) of TMS has been active in promoting the novel applications of emerging materials and technology. In 2008, the Surface Engineering Committee had a JOM theme of Materials and Surfaces for Energetics that dealt with subjects ranging from energetics of microand nano-scale materials to processing for energetic applications. This year, our committee has focused on Articulation of Surfaces for Bio Applications. The confl uence of materials science with biology has opened up a plethora of opportunities for scientists and engineers to explore this exciting fi eld of research. In this issue of JOM, the Surface Engineering Committee presents fi ve papers that deal with different aspects of surface modifi cations for bio-applications. The review by Ryan Boehm and coauthors provides an insight in the fi eld of fl exible electronics for biomedical applications. The authors have shown that polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), diamond-like carbon (DLC), and gold materials which were used to make fl exible electronics have adequate biocompatibility and may be used in medical applications such as neural probes, Articulation of Surfaces for Bio-applications