Epidermal electronic device sticks to task of monitoring health

Developed at Purdue University, the 'smart stickers' are made of cellulose, which is biocompatible and breathable. They can be used to monitor physical activity and alert a wearer about possible health risks in real time. The research is published in ACS Advanced Materials and Interfaces.

“For the first time, we have created wearable electronic devices that someone can easily attach to their skin and are made from paper to lower the cost of personalised medicine,” said Ramses Martinez, a Purdue assistant professor of industrial engineering and biomedical engineering, who led the research team.

Health professionals could also use the stickers as implantable sensors to monitor the sleep of patients because they conform to internal organs without causing any adverse reactions. Athletes could also use the technology to monitor their health while exercising and swimming.

According to Purdue, traditional manufacturing methods and materials used to fabricate therapeutic epidermal electronics are complex and expensive, which prevents their adoption as single-use medical devices.