Novel printed electronics promise personalised bandages

The researchers claim it is the first ever ‘print-in-place’ method for creating flexible electronics, where no processing is required at any stage of fabrication. It’s also gentle enough so that wearable electronics could be printed directly on to the skin, opening up possibilities for biosensors, smart bandages and electronic tattoos. 

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"When people hear the term 'printed electronics,' the expectation is that a person loads a substrate and the designs for an electronic circuit into a printer and, some reasonable time later, removes a fully functional electronic circuit," said Aaron Franklin, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Duke.

"Over the years there have been a slew of research papers promising these kinds of 'fully printed electronics,' but the reality is that the process actually involves taking the sample out multiple times to bake it, wash it or spin-coat materials onto it. Ours is the first where the reality matches the public perception."