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Researchers at the City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) led by Professor Yu Xinge, in collaboration with his team from the Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME), have pioneered the development of highly advanced wearable electronics.
These devices boast lightweight, stretchable properties while significantly enhancing sweat permeability, a feat achieved through a groundbreaking technique that increases permeability by an astonishing 4,000-fold. This breakthrough holds immense promise for the field of biomedical devices, particularly in enabling reliable, long-term monitoring of biosignals.
Wearable electronics have emerged as pivotal tools in promoting health and fitness by facilitating continuous monitoring of physiological signals. However, a persistent challenge in this domain has been maintaining signal stability over extended periods, often compromised by factors such as sweat or air permeability. Professor Yu and his team recognised the critical need for wearable devices capable of providing uninterrupted monitoring without causing discomfort or signal disruption due to perspiration.
To address this, the research team developed a universal methodology encompassing materials processing, device architecture, and system integration to create integrated permeable wearable electronics. At the heart of this innovation lies a nature-inspired three-dimensional liquid diode (3D LD) configuration, wherein surface structures facilitate the controlled flow of liquids in a specific direction.
Published in the Nature journal under the title “A three-dimensional liquid diode for soft, integrated permeable electronics,” the study outlines the development of a device capable of transporting sweat from the skin with a remarkable efficiency 4,000 times greater than the human body’s natural production rate. This breakthrough ensures seamless monitoring even in conditions of heavy perspiration, effectively mitigating signal disruption caused by sweat accumulation at the device-skin interface.
This technology incorporates a 3D spatial liquid manipulation technique, enabling the creation of fully integrated permeable electronics that exhibit superior breathability. Unlike conventional approaches reliant on unique materials, the horizontal liquid diode employed in this method facilitates in-plane liquid transport, enhancing the device’s overall functionality and compatibility with state-of-the-art wearable devices.
Furthermore, the device’s thin, lightweight, soft, and stretchable characteristics contribute to its exceptional compatibility with the human body, ensuring comfortable adherence to the skin while maintaining stable interface conditions for high-quality signal transmission. This seamless integration with the body underscores the potential for widespread adoption of such devices in various health monitoring applications.
The research findings offer valuable insights into fluid manipulation and system integration strategies for soft, permeable wearables. Leveraging this technology, the team successfully applied it to both advanced skin-integrated electronics and textile-integrated electronics, demonstrating reliable health monitoring capabilities over extended durations, up to a week.
Looking ahead, the team is poised to embark on clinical trials to validate the effectiveness of their technology in real-world scenarios. Spearheaded by Professor Yu Xinge, with Dr. Zhang Binbin, Dr Li Jiyu, Zhou Jingkun, and Chow Lung as key contributors, this transformative research holds the potential to revolutionise the landscape of wearable biomedical devices, paving the way for enhanced personalised healthcare and disease management strategies.
