Soft, Stretchable Health Monitor Eyed for Long-Term Use

One of the key challenges researchers aim to overcome with wearable technology to is to make it more comfortable for the user while still being able to perform and transmit data effectively. A team at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) has made strides in this area with the development of a wireless, stretchable device they said allows for long-term health monitoring without creating discomfort for users, particularly allergic reactions or injuries that are associated with conventional adhesive sensors that use conductive gels. A wireless, wearable monitor built with stretchable electronics could allow comfortable, long-term health monitoring of adults, babies, and small children. (Image source: John Toon, Georgia Institute of Technology) A team led by Woon-Hong Yeo, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech’s departments of mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering, designed the monitor--on which electronics are mounted on a stretchable substrate and connected to gold, skin-like electrodes through printed connectors. The connectors can stretch with the medical film in which they are embedded, giving flexibility to the device that can accommodate user movement better than such devices typically do. The monitor—which can send electrocardiogram (ECG), heart rate, respiratory rate, and motion-activity data to a mobile device—is especially well-suited to young children, who are more active than adults, Ye...
Source: MDDI - Category: Medical Devices Tags: Design News Source Type: news