Soft implantable drug delivery device integrated wirelessly with wearable devices to treat fatal seizures

Soft bioelectronics for diagnostic and therapeutic applications in neurological diseases

Physical and chemical signals in the central nervous system yield crucial information that is clinically relevant under both physiological and pathological conditions. The emerging field of bioelectronics focuses on the monitoring and manipulation of neurophysiological signals with high spatiotemporal resolution and minimal invasiveness. Significant advances have been realized through innovations in materials and structural design, which have markedly enhanced mechanical and electrical properties, biocompatibility, and overall device performance. The diagnostic and therapeutic potential of soft bioelectronics has been corroborated across a diverse array of pre-clinical settings. This review summarizes recent studies that underscore the developments and applications of soft bioelectronics in neurological disorders, including neuromonitoring, neuromodulation, tumor treatment, and biosensing. Limitations and outlooks of soft devices are also discussed in terms of power supply, wireless control, biocompatibility, and the integration of artificial intelligence. This review highlights the potential of soft bioelectronics as a future platform to promote deciphering brain functions and clinical outcomes of neurological diseases.

Softening implantable bioelectronics: Material designs, applications, and future directions

Implantable bioelectronics, integrated directly within the body, represent a potent biomedical solution for monitoring and treating a range of medical conditions, including chronic diseases, neural disorders, and cardiac conditions, through personalized medical interventions. Nevertheless, contemporary implantable bioelectronics rely heavily on rigid materials (e.g., inorganic materials and metals), leading to inflammatory responses and tissue damage due to a mechanical mismatch with biological tissues. Recently, soft electronics with mechanical properties comparable to those of biological tissues have been introduced to alleviate fatal immune responses and improve tissue conformity. Despite their myriad advantages, substantial challenges persist in surgical handling and precise positioning due to their high compliance. To surmount these obstacles, softening implantable bioelectronics has garnered significant attention as it embraces the benefits of both rigid and soft bioelectronics. These devices are rigid for easy standalone implantation, transitioning to a soft state in vivo in response to environmental stimuli, which effectively overcomes functional/biological problems inherent in the static mechanical properties of conventional implants. This article reviews recent research and development in softening materials and designs for implantable bioelectronics. Examples featuring tissue-penetrating and conformal softening devices highlight the promising potential of these approaches in biomedical applications. A concluding section delves into current challenges and outlines future directions for softening implantable device technologies, underscoring their pivotal role in propelling the evolution of next-generation bioelectronics.

Acrylated adhesive proteinic microneedle patch for local drug delivery and stable device implantation

Microneedle patches have been developed as favorable platforms for delivery systems, such as the locoregional application of therapeutic drugs, and implantation systems, such as electronic devices on visceral tissue surfaces. However, the challenge lies in finding materials that can achieve both biocompatibility and stable fixation on the target tissue. To address this issue, utilizing a biocompatible adhesive biomaterial allows the flat part of the patch to adhere as well, enabling double-sided adhesion for greater versatility. In this work, we propose an adhesive microneedle patch based on mussel adhesive protein (MAP) with enhanced mechanical strength via ultraviolet-induced polyacrylate crosslinking and Coomassie brilliant blue molecules. The strong wet tissue adhesive and biocompatible nature of engineered acrylated-MAP resulted in the development of a versatile wet adhesive microneedle patch system for in vivo usage. In a mouse tumor model, this microneedle patch effectively delivered anticancer drugs while simultaneously sealing the skin wound. Additionally, in an application of rat subcutaneous implantation, an electronic circuit was stably anchored using a double-sided wet adhesive microneedle patch, and its signal location underneath the skin did not change over time. Thus, the proposed acrylated-MAP-based wet adhesive microneedle patch system holds great promise for biomedical applications, paving the way for advancements in drug delivery therapeutics, tissue engineering, and implantable electronic medical devices.

Soft Bioelectronics Using Nanomaterials and Nanostructures for Neuroengineering

The identification of neural networks for large areas and the regulation of neuronal activity at the single-neuron scale have garnered considerable attention in neuroscience. In addition, detecting biochemical molecules and electrically, optically, and chemically controlling neural functions are key research issues. However, conventional rigid and bulky bioelectronics face challenges for neural applications, including mechanical mismatch, unsatisfactory signal-to-noise ratio, and poor integration of multifunctional components, thereby degrading the sensing and modulation performance, long-term stability and biocompatibility, and diagnosis and therapy efficacy. Implantable bioelectronics have been developed to be mechanically compatible with the brain environment by adopting advanced geometric designs and utilizing intrinsically stretchable materials, but such advances have not been able to address all of the aforementioned challenges.Recently, the exploration of nanomaterial synthesis and nanoscale fabrication strategies has facilitated the design of unconventional soft bioelectronics with mechanical properties similar to those of neural tissues and submicrometer-scale resolution comparable to typical neuron sizes. The introduction of nanotechnology has provided bioelectronics with improved spatial resolution, selectivity, single neuron targeting, and even multifunctionality. As a result, this state-of-the-art nanotechnology has been integrated with bioelectronics in two main types, i.e., bioelectronics integrated with synthesized nanomaterials and bioelectronics with nanoscale structures. The functional nanomaterials can be synthesized and assembled to compose bioelectronics, allowing easy customization of their functionality to meet specific requirements. The unique nanoscale structures implemented with the bioelectronics could maximize the performance in terms of sensing and stimulation. Such soft nanobioelectronics have demonstrated their applicability for neuronal recording and modulation over a long period at the intracellular level and incorporation of multiple functions, such as electrical, optical, and chemical sensing and stimulation functions.In this Account, we will discuss the technical pathways in soft bioelectronics integrated with nanomaterials and implementing nanostructures for application to neuroengineering. We traced the historical development of bioelectronics from rigid and bulky structures to soft and deformable devices to conform to neuroengineering requirements. Recent approaches that introduced nanotechnology into neural devices enhanced the spatiotemporal resolution and endowed various device functions. These soft nanobioelectronic technologies are discussed in two categories: bioelectronics with synthesized nanomaterials and bioelectronics with nanoscale structures. We describe nanomaterial-integrated soft bioelectronics exhibiting various functionalities and modalities depending on the integrated nanomaterials. Meanwhile, soft bioelectronics with nanoscale structures are explained with their superior resolution and unique administration methods. We also exemplified the neural sensing and stimulation applications of soft nanobioelectronics across various modalities, showcasing their clinical applications in the treatment of neurological diseases, such as brain tumors, epilepsy, and Parkinson's disease. Finally, we discussed the challenges and direction of next-generation technologies.

Recent Progress in Implantable Drug Delivery Systems

In recent years, tremendous effort is devoted to developing platforms, such as implantable drug delivery systems (IDDSs), with temporally and spatially controlled drug release capabilities and improved adherence. IDDSs have multiple advantages: i) the timing and location of drug delivery can be controlled by patients using specific stimuli (light, sound, electricity, magnetism, etc.). Some intelligent "closed-loop" IDDS can even realize self-management without human participation. ii) IDDSs enable continuous and stable delivery of drugs over a long period (months to years) and iii) to administer drugs directly to the lesion, thereby helping reduce dosage and side effects. iv) IDDSs enable personalized drug delivery according to patient needs. The high demand for such systems has prompted scientists to make efforts to develop intelligent IDDS. In this review, several common stimulus-responsive mechanisms including endogenous (e.g., pH, reactive oxygen species, proteins, etc.) and exogenous stimuli (e.g., light, sound, electricity, magnetism, etc.), are given in detail. Besides, several types of IDDS reported in recent years are reviewed, including various stimulus-responsive systems based on the above mechanisms, radio frequency-controlled IDDS, "closed-loop" IDDS, self-powered IDDS, etc. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of various IDDS, bottleneck problems, and possible solutions are analyzed to provide directions for subsequent research.

Materials and Structural Designs toward Motion Artifact-Free Bioelectronics

Bioelectronics encompassing electronic components and circuits for accessing human information play a vital role in real-time and continuous monitoring of biophysiological signals of electrophysiology, mechanical physiology, and electrochemical physiology. However, mechanical noise, particularly motion artifacts, poses a significant challenge in accurately detecting and analyzing target signals. While software-based "postprocessing" methods and signal filtering techniques have been widely employed, challenges such as signal distortion, major requirement of accurate models for classification, power consumption, and data delay inevitably persist. This review presents an overview of noise reduction strategies in bioelectronics, focusing on reducing motion artifacts and improving the signal-to-noise ratio through hardware-based approaches such as "preprocessing". One of the main stress-avoiding strategies is reducing elastic mechanical energies applied to bioelectronics to prevent stress-induced motion artifacts. Various approaches including strain-compliance, strain-resistance, and stress-damping techniques using unique materials and structures have been explored. Future research should optimize materials and structure designs, establish stable processes and measurement methods, and develop techniques for selectively separating and processing overlapping noises. Ultimately, these advancements will contribute to the development of more reliable and effective bioelectronics for healthcare monitoring and diagnostics.

Self-Healing Hydrogel Bioelectronics

Hydrogels have emerged as powerful building blocks to develop various soft bioelectronics because of their tissue-like mechanical properties, superior bio-compatibility, the ability to conduct both electrons and ions, and multiple stimuli-responsiveness. However, hydrogels are vulnerable to mechanical damage, which limits their usage in developing durable hydrogel-based bioelectronics. Self-healing hydrogels aim to endow bioelectronics with the property of repairing specific functions after mechanical failure, thus improving their durability, reliability, and longevity. This review discusses recent advances in self-healing hydrogels, from the self-healing mechanisms, material chemistry, and strategies for multiple properties improvement of hydrogel materials, to the design, fabrication, and applications of various hydrogel-based bioelectronics, including wearable physical and biochemical sensors, supercapacitors, flexible display devices, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), implantable bioelectronics, etc. Furthermore, the persisting challenges hampering the development of self-healing hydrogel bioelectronics and their prospects are proposed. This review is expected to expedite the research and applications of self-healing hydrogels for various self-healing bioelectronics.

E-Tattoos: Toward Functional but Imperceptible Interfacing with Human Skin

The human body continuously emits physiological and psychological information from head to toe. Wearable electronics capable of noninvasively and accurately digitizing this information without compromising user comfort or mobility have the potential to revolutionize telemedicine, mobile health, and both human-machine or human-metaverse interactions. However, state-of-the-art wearable electronics face limitations regarding wearability and functionality due to the mechanical incompatibility between conventional rigid, planar electronics and soft, curvy human skin surfaces. E-Tattoos, a unique type of wearable electronics, are defined by their ultrathin and skin-soft characteristics, which enable noninvasive and comfortable lamination on human skin surfaces without causing obstruction or even mechanical perception. This review article offers an exhaustive exploration of e-tattoos, accounting for their materials, structures, manufacturing processes, properties, functionalities, applications, and remaining challenges. We begin by summarizing the properties of human skin and their effects on signal transmission across the e-tattoo-skin interface. Following this is a discussion of the materials, structural designs, manufacturing, and skin attachment processes of e-tattoos. We classify e-tattoo functionalities into electrical, mechanical, optical, thermal, and chemical sensing, as well as wound healing and other treatments. After discussing energy harvesting and storage capabilities, we outline strategies for the system integration of wireless e-tattoos. In the end, we offer personal perspectives on the remaining challenges and future opportunities in the field.

Low-impedance tissue-device interface using homogeneously conductive hydrogels chemically bonded to stretchable bioelectronics

Stretchable bioelectronics has notably contributed to the advancement of continuous health monitoring and point-of-care type health care. However, microscale nonconformal contact and locally dehydrated interface limit performance, especially in dynamic environments. Therefore, hydrogels can be a promising interfacial material for the stretchable bioelectronics due to their unique advantages including tissue-like softness, water-rich property, and biocompatibility. However, there are still practical challenges in terms of their electrical performance, material homogeneity, and monolithic integration with stretchable devices. Here, we report the synthesis of a homogeneously conductive polyacrylamide hydrogel with an exceptionally low impedance (~21 ohms) and a reasonably high conductivity (~24 S/cm) by incorporating polyaniline-decorated poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene:polystyrene). We also establish robust adhesion (interfacial toughness: ~296.7 J/m2) and reliable integration between the conductive hydrogel and the stretchable device through on-device polymerization as well as covalent and hydrogen bonding. These strategies enable the fabrication of a stretchable multichannel sensor array for the high-quality on-skin impedance and pH measurements under in vitro and in vivo circumstances.

Liquid Metal-Polymer Conductor-Based Conformal Cyborg Devices

Gallium-based liquid metal (LM) exhibits exceptional properties such as high conductivity and biocompatibility, rendering it highly valuable for the development of conformal bioelectronics. When combined with polymers, liquid metal-polymer conductors (MPC) offer a versatile platform for fabricating conformal cyborg devices, enabling functions such as sensing, restoration, and augmentation within the human body. This review focuses on the synthesis, fabrication, and application of MPC-based cyborg devices. The synthesis of functional materials based on LM and the fabrication techniques for MPC-based devices are elucidated. The review provides a comprehensive overview of MPC-based cyborg devices, encompassing their applications in sensing diverse signals, therapeutic interventions, and augmentation. The objective of this review is to serve as a valuable resource that bridges the gap between the fabrication of MPC-based conformal devices and their potential biomedical applications.

Wireless Battery-free and Fully Implantable Organ Interfaces

Advances in soft materials, miniaturized electronics, sensors, stimulators, radios, and battery-free power supplies are resulting in a new generation of fully implantable organ interfaces that leverage volumetric reduction and soft mechanics by eliminating electrochemical power storage. This device class offers the ability to provide high-fidelity readouts of physiological processes, enables stimulation, and allows control over organs to realize new therapeutic and diagnostic paradigms. Driven by seamless integration with connected infrastructure, these devices enable personalized digital medicine. Key to advances are carefully designed material, electrophysical, electrochemical, and electromagnetic systems that form implantables with mechanical properties closely matched to the target organ to deliver functionality that supports high-fidelity sensors and stimulators. The elimination of electrochemical power supplies enables control over device operation, anywhere from acute, to lifetimes matching the target subject with physical dimensions that supports imperceptible operation. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the basic building blocks of battery-free organ interfaces and related topics such as implantation, delivery, sterilization, and user acceptance. State of the art examples categorized by organ system and an outlook of interconnection and advanced strategies for computation leveraging the consistent power influx to elevate functionality of this device class over current battery-powered strategies is highlighted.

Soft, Long-Lived, Bioresorbable Electronic Surgical Mesh with Wireless Pressure Monitor and On-Demand Drug Delivery

Current research in the area of surgical mesh implants is somewhat limited to traditional designs and synthesis of various mesh materials, whereas meshes with multiple functions may be an effective approach to address long-standing challenges including postoperative complications. Herein, a bioresorbable electronic surgical mesh is presented that offers high mechanical strength over extended timeframes, wireless post-operative pressure monitoring, and on-demand drug delivery for the restoration of tissue structure and function. The study of materials and mesh layouts provides a wide range of tunability of mechanical and biochemical properties. Dissolvable dielectric composite with porous structure in a pyramidal shape enhances sensitivity of a wireless capacitive pressure sensor, and resistive microheaters integrated with inductive coils provide thermo-responsive drug delivery system for an antibacterial agent. In vivo evaluations demonstrate reliable, long-lived operation, and effective treatment for abdominal hernia defects, by clear evidence of suppressed complications such as adhesion formation and infections.

Biomimetic Exogenous "Tissue Batteries" as Artificial Power Sources for Implantable Bioelectronic Devices Manufacturing

Implantable bioelectronic devices (IBDs) have gained attention for their capacity to conformably detect physiological and pathological signals and further provide internal therapy. However, traditional power sources integrated into these IBDs possess intricate limitations such as bulkiness, rigidity, and biotoxicity. Recently, artificial "tissue batteries" (ATBs) have diffusely developed as artificial power sources for IBDs manufacturing, enabling comprehensive biological-activity monitoring, diagnosis, and therapy. ATBs are on-demand and designed to accommodate the soft and confining curved placement space of organisms, minimizing interface discrepancies, and providing ample power for clinical applications. This review presents the near-term advancements in ATBs, with a focus on their miniaturization, flexibility, biodegradability, and power density. Furthermore, it delves into material-screening, structural-design, and energy density across three distinct categories of TBs, distinguished by power supply strategies. These types encompass innovative energy storage devices (chemical batteries and supercapacitors), power conversion devices that harness power from human-body (biofuel cells, thermoelectric nanogenerators, bio-potential devices, piezoelectric harvesters, and triboelectric devices), and energy transfer devices that receive and utilize external energy (radiofrequency-ultrasound energy harvesters, ultrasound-induced energy harvesters, and photovoltaic devices). Ultimately, future challenges and prospects emphasize ATBs with the indispensability of bio-safety, flexibility, and high-volume energy density as crucial components in long-term implantable bioelectronic devices.

Soft Sensors and Actuators for Wearable Human-Machine Interfaces

Haptic human-machine interfaces (HHMIs) combine tactile sensation and haptic feedback to allow humans to interact closely with machines and robots, providing immersive experiences and convenient lifestyles. Significant progress has been made in developing wearable sensors that accurately detect physical and electrophysiological stimuli with improved softness, functionality, reliability, and selectivity. In addition, soft actuating systems have been developed to provide high-quality haptic feedback by precisely controlling force, displacement, frequency, and spatial resolution. In this Review, we discuss the latest technological advances of soft sensors and actuators for the demonstration of wearable HHMIs. We particularly focus on highlighting material and structural approaches that enable desired sensing and feedback properties necessary for effective wearable HHMIs. Furthermore, promising practical applications of current HHMI technology in various areas such as the metaverse, robotics, and user-interactive devices are discussed in detail. Finally, this Review further concludes by discussing the outlook for next-generation HHMI technology.

Flexible and Stretchable Light-Emitting Diodes and Photodetectors for Human-Centric Optoelectronics

Optoelectronic devices with unconventional form factors, such as flexible and stretchable light-emitting or photoresponsive devices, are core elements for the next-generation human-centric optoelectronics. For instance, these deformable devices can be utilized as closely fitted wearable sensors to acquire precise biosignals that are subsequently uploaded to the cloud for immediate examination and diagnosis, and also can be used for vision systems for human-interactive robotics. Their inception was propelled by breakthroughs in novel optoelectronic material technologies and device blueprinting methodologies, endowing flexibility and mechanical resilience to conventional rigid optoelectronic devices. This paper reviews the advancements in such soft optoelectronic device technologies, honing in on various materials, manufacturing techniques, and device design strategies. We will first highlight the general approaches for flexible and stretchable device fabrication, including the appropriate material selection for the substrate, electrodes, and insulation layers. We will then focus on the materials for flexible and stretchable light-emitting diodes, their device integration strategies, and representative application examples. Next, we will move on to the materials for flexible and stretchable photodetectors, highlighting the state-of-the-art materials and device fabrication methods, followed by their representative application examples. At the end, a brief summary will be given, and the potential challenges for further development of functional devices will be discussed as a conclusion.

Boosting Thermoelectric Performance of Bi2 Te3 Material by Microstructure Engineering

Due to the intrinsic contradiction of electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient in thermoelectric materials, the enhancement for the power factor (PF) is limited. Since the PF decides the output power, strategies to the enhancement of PF are of paramount importance. In this work, Bi2 Te3 /Sb and Bi2 Te3 /W multilayer films are proposed to enhance the thermoelectric properties. Both systems possess extremely high conductivity of ≈5.6 × 105 S m-1 . Moreover, the electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient simultaneously increase as temperature rising, showing the overcome of the intrinsic contradiction. This results in ultrahigh PFs of 1785 µWm-1  K-2 for Bi2 Te3 /W and of 1566 µWm-1  K-2 for Bi2 Te3 /Sb at 600 K. Thermal heating of the Bi2 Te3 /Sb multilayer system shows compositional changes with subsequent formation of Bi-Te-Sb phases, Sb-rich Bi-Te precipitates, and cavities. Contrary, the multilayer structure of the Bi2 Te3 /W films is maintained, while Bi2 Te3 grains of high-crystalline quality are confined between the W layers. In addition, bilayer defects in Bi2 Te3 and smaller cavities at the interface to W layers are also observed. Thus, compositional and confinement effects as well as structural defects result in the ultrahigh PF. Overall, this work demonstrates the strategies on how to obtain ultrahigh PFs of commercial Bi2 Te3 material by microstructure engineering using multilayer structures.

Skin preparation-free, stretchable microneedle adhesive patches for reliable electrophysiological sensing and exoskeleton robot control

High-fidelity and comfortable recording of electrophysiological (EP) signals with on-the-fly setup is essential for health care and human-machine interfaces (HMIs). Microneedle electrodes allow direct access to the epidermis and eliminate time-consuming skin preparation. However, existing microneedle electrodes lack elasticity and reliability required for robust skin interfacing, thereby making long-term, high-quality EP sensing challenging during body movement. Here, we introduce a stretchable microneedle adhesive patch (SNAP) providing excellent skin penetrability and a robust electromechanical skin interface for prolonged and reliable EP monitoring under varying skin conditions. Results demonstrate that the SNAP can substantially reduce skin contact impedance under skin contamination and enhance wearing comfort during motion, outperforming gel and flexible microneedle electrodes. Our wireless SNAP demonstration for exoskeleton robot control shows its potential for highly reliable HMIs, even under time-dynamic skin conditions. We envision that the SNAP will open new opportunities for wearable EP sensing and its real-world applications in HMIs.

Recent Advances in Bioelectronics for Localized Drug Delivery

The last decade has witnessed remarkable advancements in bioelectronics, ushering in a new era of wearable and implantable devices for drug delivery. By utilizing miniaturized system design and/or flexible materials, bioelectronics illustrates ideal integration with target organs and tissues, making them ideal platforms for localized drug delivery. Furthermore, the development of electrically assisted drug delivery systems has enhanced the efficiency and safety of therapeutic administration, particularly for the macromolecules that encounter additional challenges in penetrating biological barriers. In this review, a concise overview of recent progress in bioelectronic devices for in vivo localized drug delivery, with highlights on the latest trends in device design, working principles, and their corresponding functionalities, is provided. The reported systems based on their targeted delivery locations as wearable systems, ingestible systems, and implantable systems are categorized. Each category is introduced in detail by highlighting the special requirements for devices and the corresponding solutions. The remaining challenges in this field and future directions are also discussed.

Soft Bioelectronics for Neuroengineering: New Horizons in the Treatment of Brain Tumor and Epilepsy

Soft bioelectronic technologies for neuroengineering have shown remarkable progress, which include novel soft material technologies and device design strategies. Such technological advances that are initiated from fundamental brain science are applied to clinical neuroscience and provided meaningful promises for significant improvement in the diagnosis efficiency and therapeutic efficacy of various brain diseases recently. System-level integration strategies in consideration of specific disease circumstances can enhance treatment effects further. Here, recent advances in soft implantable bioelectronics for neuroengineering, focusing on materials and device designs optimized for the treatment of intracranial disease environments, are reviewed. Various types of soft bioelectronics for neuroengineering are categorized and exemplified first, and then details for the sensing and stimulating device components are explained. Next, application examples of soft implantable bioelectronics to clinical neuroscience, particularly focusing on the treatment of brain tumor and epilepsy are reviewed. Finally, an ideal system of soft intracranial bioelectronics such as closed-loop-type fully-integrated systems is presented, and the remaining challenges for their clinical translation are discussed.

A soft implantable energy supply system that integrates wireless charging and biodegradable Zn-ion hybrid supercapacitors

The advent of implantable bioelectronic devices offers prospective solutions toward health monitoring and disease diagnosis and treatments. However, advances in power modules have lagged far behind the tissue-integrated sensor nodes and circuit units. Here, we report a soft implantable power system that monolithically integrates wireless energy transmission and storage modules. The energy storage unit comprises biodegradable Zn-ion hybrid supercapacitors that use molybdenum sulfide (MoS2) nanosheets as cathode, ion-crosslinked alginate gel as electrolyte, and zinc foil as anode, achieving high capacitance (93.5 mF cm-2) and output voltage (1.3 V). Systematic investigations have been conducted to elucidate the charge storage mechanism of the supercapacitor and to assess the biodegradability and biocompatibility of the materials. Furthermore, the wirelessly transmitted energy can not only supply power directly to applications but also charge supercapacitors to ensure a constant, reliable power output. Its power supply capabilities have also been successfully demonstrated for controlled drug delivery.

A Survey of the Thermal Analysis of Implanted Antennas for Wireless Biomedical Devices

Wireless implantable biomedical devices (IBDs) are emerging technologies used to enhance patient treatment and monitoring. The performance of wireless IBDs mainly relies on their antennas. Concerns have emerged regarding the potential of wireless IBDs to unintentionally cause tissue heating, leading to potential harm to surrounding tissue. The previous literature examined temperature estimations and specific absorption rates (SAR) related to IBDs, mainly within the context of thermal therapy applications. Often, these studies consider system parameters such as frequency, input power, and treatment duration without isolating their individual impacts. This paper provides an extensive literature review, focusing on key antenna design parameters affecting heat distribution in IBDs. These parameters encompass antenna design, treatment settings, testing conditions, and thermal modeling. The research highlights that input power has the most significant impact on localized temperature, with operating frequency ranked as the second most influential factor. While emphasizing the importance of understanding tissue heating and optimizing antennas for improved power transfer, these studies also illuminate existing knowledge gaps. Excessive tissue heat can lead to harmful effects such as vaporization, carbonization, and irreversible tissue changes. To ensure patient safety and reduce expenses linked to clinical trials, employing simulation-driven approaches for IBD antenna design and optimization is essential.

Soft Bioelectronics for Therapeutics

Soft bioelectronics play an increasingly crucial role in high-precision therapeutics due to their softness, biocompatibility, clinical accuracy, long-term stability, and patient-friendliness. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the latest representative therapeutic applications of advanced soft bioelectronics, ranging from wearable therapeutics for skin wounds, diabetes, ophthalmic diseases, muscle disorders, and other diseases to implantable therapeutics against complex diseases, such as cardiac arrhythmias, cancer, neurological diseases, and others. We also highlight key challenges and opportunities for future clinical translation and commercialization of soft therapeutic bioelectronics toward personalized medicine.

Communication Protocols Integrating Wearables, Ingestibles, and Implantables for Closed-Loop Therapies

Body-conformal sensors and tissue interfacing robotic therapeutics enable the real-time monitoring and treatment of diabetes, wound healing, and other critical conditions. By integrating sensors and drug delivery devices, scientists and engineers have developed closed-loop drug delivery systems with on-demand therapeutic capabilities to provide just-in-time treatments that correspond to chemical, electrical, and physical signals of a target morbidity. To enable closed-loop functionality in vivo, engineers utilize various low-power means of communication that reduce the size of implants by orders of magnitude, increase device lifetime from hours to months, and ensure the secure high-speed transfer of data. In this review, we highlight how communication protocols used to integrate sensors and drug delivery devices, such as radio frequency communication (e.g., Bluetooth, near-field communication), in-body communication, and ultrasound, enable improved treatment outcomes.

A Miniaturized Tri-Band Implantable Antenna for ISM/WMTS/Lower UWB/Wi-Fi Frequencies

This study aims to design a compact antenna structure suitable for implantable devices, with a broad frequency range covering various bands such as the Industrial Scientific and Medical band (868-868.6 MHz, 902-928 MHz, 5.725-5.875 GHz), the Wireless Medical Telemetry Service (WMTS) band, a subset of the unlicensed 3.5-4.5 GHz ultra-wideband (UWB) that is free of interference, and various Wi-Fi spectra (3.6 GHz, 4.9 GHz, 5 GHz, 5.9 GHz, 6 GHz). The antenna supports both low and high frequencies for efficient data transfer and is compatible with various communication technologies. The antenna features an asynchronous-meandered radiator, a parasitic patch, and an open-ended square ring-shaped ground plane. The antenna is deployed deep inside the muscle layer of a rectangular phantom below the skin and fat layer at a depth of 7 mm for numerical simulation. Furthermore, the antenna is deployed in a cylindrical phantom and bent to check the suitability for different organs. A prototype of the antenna is created, and its reflection coefficient and radiation patterns are measured in fresh pork tissue. The proposed antenna is considered a suitable candidate for implantable technology compared to other designs reported in the literature. It can be observed that the proposed antenna in this study has the smallest volume (75 mm3) and widest bandwidth (181.8% for 0.86 GHz, 9.58% for 1.43 GHz, and 285.7% for the UWB subset and Wi-Fi). It also has the highest gain (-26 dBi for ISM, -14 dBi for WMTS, and -14.2 dBi for UWB subset and Wi-Fi) compared to other antennas in the literature. In addition, the SAR values for the proposed antenna are well below the safety limits prescribed by IEEE Std C95.1-1999, with SAR values of 0.409 W/Kg for 0.8 GHz, 0.534 W/Kg for 1.43 GHz, 0.529 W/Kg for 3.5 GHz, and 0.665 W/Kg for 5.5 GHz when the applied input power is 10 mW. Overall, the proposed antenna in this study demonstrates superior performance compared to existing tri-band implantable antennas in terms of size, bandwidth, gain, and SAR values.

Micropatterned Elastomeric Composites for Encapsulation of Transient Electronics

Although biodegradable, transient electronic devices must dissolve or decompose via environmental factors, an effective waterproofing or encapsulation system is essential for reliable, durable operation for a desired period of time. Existing protection approaches use multiple or alternate layers of electrically inactive organic/inorganic elements combined with polymers; however, their high mechanical stiffness is not suitable for soft, time-dynamic biological tissues/skins/organs. Here, we introduce a stretchable, bioresorbable encapsulant using nanoparticle-incorporated elastomeric composites with modifications of surface morphology. Nature-inspired micropatterns reduce the diffusion area for water molecules, and embedded nanoparticles impede water permeation, which synergistically enhances the water-barrier performance. Empirical and theoretical evaluations validate the encapsulation mechanisms under strains. Demonstration of a soft, degradable shield with an optical component under a biological solution highlights the potential applicability of the proposed encapsulation strategy.

A Self-Powered Multifunctional Bracelet for Pulse Monitoring and Personal Rescue

For outdoor workers or explorers who may be exposed to extreme or wild environments for a long time, wearable electronic devices with continuous health monitoring and personal rescue functions in emergencies could play an important role in protecting their lives. However, the limited battery capacity leads to a limited serving time, which cannot ensure normal operation anywhere and at any time. In this work, a self-powered multifunctional bracelet is proposed by integrating a hybrid energy supply module and a coupled pulse monitoring sensor with the inherent structure of the watch. The hybrid energy supply module can harvest rotational kinetic energy and elastic potential energy from the watch strap swinging simultaneously, generating a voltage of 69 V and a current of 87 mA. Meanwhile, with a statically indeterminate structure design and the coupling of triboelectric and piezoelectric nanogenerators, the bracelet enables stable pulse signal monitoring during movement with a strong anti-interference ability. With the assistance of functional electronic components, the pulse signal and position information of the wearer can be transmitted wirelessly in real-time, and the rescue light and illuminating light can be driven directly by flipping the watch strap slightly. The universal compact design, efficient energy conversion, and stable physiological monitoring demonstrate the wide application prospects of the self-powered multifunctional bracelet.

Liquid Metal-Based Electrode Array for Neural Signal Recording

Neural electrodes are core devices for research in neuroscience, neurological diseases, and neural-machine interfacing. They build a bridge between the cerebral nervous system and electronic devices. Most of the neural electrodes in use are based on rigid materials that differ significantly from biological neural tissue in flexibility and tensile properties. In this study, a liquid-metal (LM) -based 20-channel neural electrode array with a platinum metal (Pt) encapsulation material was developed by microfabrication technology. The in vitro experiments demonstrated that the electrode has stable electrical properties and excellent mechanical properties such as flexibility and bending, which allows the electrode to form conformal contact with the skull. The in vivo experiments also recorded electroencephalographic signals using the LM-based electrode from a rat under low-flow or deep anesthesia, including the auditory-evoked potentials triggered by sound stimulation. The auditory-activated cortical area was analyzed using source localization technique. These results indicate that this 20-channel LM-based neural electrode array satisfies the demands of brain signal acquisition and provides high-quality-electroencephalogram (EEG) signals that support source localization analysis.

Blood-Glucose-Powered Metabolic Fuel Cell for Self-Sufficient Bioelectronics

Currently available bioelectronic devices consume too much power to be continuously operated on rechargeable batteries, and are often powered wirelessly, with attendant issues regarding reliability, convenience, and mobility. Thus, the availability of a robust, self-sufficient, implantable electrical power generator that works under physiological conditions would be transformative for many applications, from driving bioelectronic implants and prostheses to programing cellular behavior and patients' metabolism. Here, capitalizing on a new copper-containing, conductively tuned 3D carbon nanotube composite, an implantable blood-glucose-powered metabolic fuel cell is designed that continuously monitors blood-glucose levels, converts excess glucose into electrical power during hyperglycemia, and produces sufficient energy (0.7 mW cm^-2 , 0.9 V, 50 mm glucose) to drive opto- and electro-genetic regulation of vesicular insulin release from engineered beta cells. It is shown that this integration of blood-glucose monitoring with elimination of excessive blood glucose by combined electro-metabolic conversion and insulin-release-mediated cellular consumption enables the metabolic fuel cell to restore blood-glucose homeostasis in an automatic, self-sufficient, and closed-loop manner in an experimental model of type-1 diabetes.

Advanced Temporally-Spatially Precise Technologies for On-Demand Neurological Disorder Intervention

Temporal-spatial precision has attracted increasing attention for the clinical intervention of neurological disorders (NDs) to mitigate adverse effects of traditional treatments and achieve point-of-care medicine. Inspiring steps forward in this field have been witnessed in recent years, giving the credit to multi-discipline efforts from neurobiology, bioengineering, chemical materials, artificial intelligence, and so on, exhibiting valuable clinical translation potential. In this review, the latest progress in advanced temporally-spatially precise clinical intervention is highlighted, including localized parenchyma drug delivery, precise neuromodulation, as well as biological signal detection to trigger closed-loop control. Their clinical potential in both central and peripheral nervous systems is illustrated meticulously related to typical diseases. The challenges relative to biosafety and scaled production as well as their future perspectives are also discussed in detail. Notably, these intelligent temporally-spatially precision intervention systems could lead the frontier in the near future, demonstrating significant clinical value to support billions of patients plagued with NDs.

Stretchable and Skin-Attachable Electronic Device for Remotely Controlled Wearable Cancer Therapy

Surgery represents a primary clinical treatment of solid tumors. The high risk of local relapse typically requires frequent hospital visits for postoperative adjuvant therapy. Here, device designs and system integration of a stretchable electronic device for wearable cancer treatment are presented. The soft electronic patch harnesses compliant materials to achieve conformal and stable attachment to the surgical wound. A composite nanotextile dressing is laminated to the electronic patch to allow the on-demand release of anticancer drugs under electro-thermal actuation. An additional flexible circuit and a compact battery complete an untethered wearable system to execute remote therapeutic commands from a smartphone. The successful implementation of combined chemothermotherapy to inhibit tumor recurrence demonstrates the promising potential of stretchable electronics for advanced wearable therapies without interfering with daily activities.

An integrated perspective for the diagnosis and therapy of neurodevelopmental disorders - From an engineering point of view

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are complex conditions with largely unknown pathophysiology. While many NDD symptoms are familiar, the cause of these disorders remains unclear and may involve a combination of genetic, biological, psychosocial, and environmental risk factors. Current diagnosis relies heavily on behaviorally defined criteria, which may be biased by the clinical team's professional and cultural expectations, thus a push for new biological-based biomarkers for NDDs diagnosis is underway. Emerging new research technologies offer an unprecedented view into the electrical, chemical, and physiological activity in the brain and with further development in humans may provide clinically relevant diagnoses. These could also be extended to new treatment options, which can start to address the underlying physiological issues. When combined with current speech, language, occupational therapy, and pharmacological treatment these could greatly improve patient outcomes. The current review will discuss the latest technologies that are being used or may be used for NDDs diagnosis and treatment. The aim is to provide an inspiring and forward-looking view for future research in the field.

Smart Contact Lens Systems for Ocular Drug Delivery and Therapy

Ocular drug delivery and therapy systems have been extensively investigated with various methods including direct injections, eye drops and contact lenses. Nowadays, smart contact lens systems are attracting a lot of attention for ocular drug delivery and therapy due to their minimally invasive or non-invasive characteristics, highly enhanced drug permeation, high bioavailability, and on-demand drug delivery. Furthermore, smart contact lens systems can be used for direct light delivery into the eyes for biophotonic therapy replacing the use of drugs. Here, we review smart contact lens systems which can be classified into two groups of drug-eluting contact lens and ocular device contact lens. More specifically, this review covers smart contact lens systems with nanocomposite-laden systems, polymeric film-incorporated systems, micro and nanostructure systems, iontophoretic systems, electrochemical systems, and phototherapy systems for ocular drug delivery and therapy. After that, we discuss the future opportunities, challenges and perspectives of smart contact lens systems for ocular drug delivery and therapy.

Electronically powered drug delivery devices: considerations and challenges

INTRODUCTION

Electronically powered drug delivery devices enable a controlled drug release route for a more convenient and painless way with reduced side effects. The current advances in microfabrication and microelectronics have facilitated miniaturization and intelligence with the integration of sensors and wireless communication modules. These devices have become an essential component of commercialized on-demand drug delivery.

AREAS COVERED

This review aims to provide a concise overview of current progress in electronically powered drug devices, focusing on delivery strategies, manufacturing techniques, and control circuit design with specific examples.

EXPERT OPINION

The application of electronically powered drug delivery systems is now considered a feasible therapeutic approach with improved drug release efficiency and increased patient comfort. It is anticipated that these technologies will gradually fulfill clinical needs and resolve commercialization challenges in the future. This review discusses the current advances in electronic drug delivery devices, especially focusing on designing strategies to achieve an effective drug release, as well as the perspectives and challenges for future applications in clinical therapy.

Transfer printing technologies for soft electronics

Soft electronics have received increasing attention in recent years, owing to their wide range of applications in dynamic nonplanar surface integration electronics that include skin electronics, implantable devices, and soft robotics. Transfer printing is a widely used assembly technology for micro- and nano-fabrication, which enables the integration of functional devices with flexible or elastomeric substrates for the manufacturing of soft electronics. Through advanced materials and process design, numerous impressive studies related to transfer printing strategies and applications have been proposed. Herein, a discussion of transfer printing technologies toward soft electronics in terms of mechanisms and example demonstrations is provided. Moreover, the perspectives on the potential challenges and future directions of this field are briefly discussed.

Wearable respiratory sensors for COVID-19 monitoring

Since its outbreak in 2019, COVID-19 becomes a pandemic, severely burdening the public healthcare systems and causing an economic burden. Thus, societies around the world are prioritizing a return to normal. However, fighting the recession could rekindle the pandemic owing to the lightning-fast transmission rate of SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, many of those who are infected remain asymptomatic for several days, leading to the increased possibility of unintended transmission of the virus. Thus, developing rigorous and universal testing technologies to continuously detect COVID-19 for entire populations remains a critical challenge that needs to be overcome. Wearable respiratory sensors can monitor biomechanical signals such as the abnormities in respiratory rate and cough frequency caused by COVID-19, as well as biochemical signals such as viral biomarkers from exhaled breaths. The point-of-care system enabled by advanced respiratory sensors is expected to promote better control of the pandemic by providing an accessible, continuous, widespread, noninvasive, and reliable solution for COVID-19 diagnosis, monitoring, and management.

On-demand electrochemically controlled compound release from an ultrasonically powered implant

On-demand drug delivery systems are promising for a wide range of therapeutic applications. When combined with wireless implants for controlled drug delivery, they can reduce overall dosage and side effects. Here, we demonstrate release of fluorescein from a novel on-demand release system for negatively charged compounds. The release system is based on a modified electroresponsive polypyrrole nanoparticulate film designed to minimize ion exchange with the stored compound - a major passive leakage mechanism. We further designed an ultrasonically powered mm-sized implant to electronically control the on-demand drug delivery system in vivo. Release kinetics are characterized both in vitro and in vivo in mice using fluorescein as a model drug, demonstrating the feasibility of wireless, controllable drug release using an ultrasonically powered implant.

Triple-Band Implantable Antenna Design for Biotelemetry Applications in MICS/ISM/Wi-Fi/Bluetooth Bands

Our objective is to design triple-band implantable antennas with wide bandwidths and appropriate sizes for biomedical applications. The targeted design frequencies are 400 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and the new Wi-Fi band of 5.7 GHz. Three triple-band antennas with bandwidth improvements are presented to insure all-time data connection. The proposed triple-band implantable antennas benefit from combining long-distance data transfer at lower frequency bands and a higher effective bandwidth, and high-speed communications at higher frequency bands, which will have flexibility for a variety of applications. A comprehensive explanation of the design procedure to achieve multiple-band implantable antennas is provided. Furthermore, miniaturization techniques are utilized to design antennas in compact sizes suitable for biomedical applications. In this paper, three-layer structures including skin, fat, and muscle are used for the designs, then antennas are placed in the chest, neck, head, and hand of different human voxels to compare antennas’ performance. Additionally, normal and overweight human effects on antenna performance were compared. Antennas have 2 to 6 dBi directivity for telemetry usage, and they are designed to satisfy the absorption limit for the human body to keep the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) averaged over 1 g of tissue less than 1.6 W/kg and over 10 g of tissue less than 2 W/kg, according to IEEE standard. The antennas include fractal, meandered, and comb types with sizes of 1.4 mm × 10 mm × 10 mm, 3.04 mm × 10 mm × 17.25 mm, and 1.4 mm × 12 mm × 12 mm, respectively. The designed antenna showed an impedance bandwidth of 53 MHz to 120 MHz, 90 MHz to 320 MHz, and 300 MHz to 1200 MHz at the three bands. The meandered antenna was selected for validation of simulations, and its S parameters were measured in the equivalent liquid phantom of body tissues.

Skin Electronics from Biocompatible In Situ Welding Enabled By Intrinsically Sticky Conductors

Welding usually involves high temperatures, toxic solvents, or conditions not compatible with human bodies, which severely limit the fusion of electronics and human tissues. To achieve direct welding of electronics on human skin, the intrinsically sticky conductors that can simultaneously achieve metal-grade electrical conductivity (≈41 7000 S m^-1 ), hydrogel-grade stretchability (>900% strain), and self-adhesiveness (1.8 N cm^-1 ) are reported. The sticky conductors composed of gallium indium alloy and acrylate polymer adhesives have a surface-enriched structure, which can form instant mechanical and electrical connections with different surfaces through gentle pressure without involving conditions that may damage human tissues. Based on the sticky conductors, the in situ welding of electronics on the skin is realized. To demonstrate the feasibility of in situ welding, electronic tattoos are achieved for movement monitoring. Intrinsically sticky electrodes that can resist drying and simultaneously deform with the skin for electrophysiological measurement are also developed.

Implantable Electronic Medicine Enabled by Bioresorbable Microneedles for Wireless Electrotherapy and Drug Delivery

A combined treatment using medication and electrostimulation increases its effectiveness in comparison with one treatment alone. However, the organic integration of two strategies in one miniaturized system for practical usage has seldom been reported. This article reports an implantable electronic medicine based on bioresorbable microneedle devices that is activated wirelessly for electrostimulation and sustainable delivery of anti-inflammatory drugs. The electronic medicine is composed of a radio frequency wireless power transmission system and a drug-loaded microneedle structure, all fabricated with bioresorbable materials. In a rat skeletal muscle injury model, periodic electrostimulation regulates cell behaviors and tissue regeneration while the anti-inflammatory drugs prevent inflammation, which ultimately enhance the skeletal muscle regeneration. Finally, the electronic medicine is fully bioresorbable, excluding the second surgery for device removal.

Ultrastretchable Organogel/Silicone Fiber-Helical Sensors for Self-Powered Implantable Ligament Strain Monitoring

Implantable sensors with the abilities of real-time healthcare monitoring and auxiliary training are important for exercise-induced or disease-induced muscle and ligament injuries. However, some of these implantable sensors have some shortcomings, such as requiring an external power supply or poor flexibility and stability. Herein, an organogel/silicone fiber-helical sensor based on a triboelectric nanogenerator (OFS-TENG) is developed for power-free and sutureable implantation ligament strain monitoring. The OFS-TENG with high stability and ultrastretchability is composed of an organogel fiber and a silicone fiber intertwined with a double helix structure. The organogel fiber possesses the merits of rapid preparation (15 s), good transparency (>95%), high stretchability (600%), and favorable stability (over 6 months). The OFS-TENG is successfully implanted on the patellar ligament of the rabbit knee for the real-time monitoring of knee ligament stretch and muscle stress, which is expected to provide a solution for real-time diagnosis of muscle and ligament injuries. The prepared self-powered OFS-TENG can monitor data on human muscles and ligaments in real-time.

Battery-free, tuning circuit-inspired wireless sensor systems for detection of multiple biomarkers in bodily fluids

Tracking the concentration of biomarkers in biofluids can provide crucial information about health status. However, the complexity and nonideal form factors of conventional digital wireless schemes impose challenges in realizing biointegrated, lightweight, and miniaturized sensors. Inspired by the working principle of tuning circuits in radio frequency electronics, this study reports a class of battery-free wireless biochemical sensors: In a resonance circuit, the coupling between a sensing interface and an inductor-capacitor oscillator through a pair of varactor diodes converts a change in electric potential into a modulation in capacitance, resulting in a quantifiable shift of the resonance circuit. Proper design of sensing interfaces with biorecognition elements enables the detection of various biomarkers, including ions, neurotransmitters, and metabolites. Demonstrations of "smart accessories" and miniaturized probes suggest the broad utility of this circuit model. The design concepts and sensing strategies provide a realistic pathway to building biointegrated electronics for wireless biochemical sensing.

Local Drug Delivery Strategies for Glioblastoma Treatment

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a brain tumor notorious for its malignancy. The key reason for the limited efficacy of standard treatment is the high recurrence rate of GBM, even after surgical resection. Hence, intensive postsurgical chemical therapies, such as the systemic delivery of various drugs and/or drug combinations, are typically followed after surgery. However, overcoming the blood-brain barrier by systemic administration to efficiently deliver drugs to the brain tumor remains a daunting goal. Therefore, various local drug delivery methods showing potential for improved therapeutic efficacy have been proposed. In particular, the recent application of electronic devices for the controlled delivery of chemotherapy drugs to GBM tissue has attracted attention. We herein review the recent progress of local drug delivery strategies, including electronics-assisted strategies, at the research and commercial level. We also present a brief discussion of the unsolved challenges and future research direction of localized chemotherapy methods for GBM.

Recent Advances in Intelligent Wearable Medical Devices Integrating Biosensing and Drug Delivery

The primary roles of precision medicine are to perform real-time examination, administer on-demand medication, and apply instruments continuously. However, most current therapeutic systems implement these processes separately, leading to treatment interruption and limited recovery in patients. Personalized healthcare and smart medical treatment have greatly promoted research on and development of biosensing and drug-delivery integrated systems, with intelligent wearable medical devices (IWMDs) as typical systems, which have received increasing attention because of their non-invasive and customizable nature. Here, the latest progress in research on IWMDs is reviewed, including their mechanisms of integrating biosensing and on-demand drug delivery. The current challenges and future development directions of IWMDs are also discussed.

Wide-range robust wireless power transfer using heterogeneously coupled and flippable neutrals in parity-time symmetry

Recently, stationary wireless power transfer (WPT) has been widely adopted in commercial devices. However, the current WPT configuration is limited in its operational area and susceptible to operating condition changes, impeding its applications for dynamic environments. To overcome the limitations, we propose a WPT system with laterally aligned neutral elements in parity-time (PT) symmetry, which can widen the operational area with the number of neutrals N. Compared to the conventional multiple-input-single-output WPT, the dimension of system complexity is substantially reduced from R × C^N to R^N+1 because the neutral amplitudes are simply controlled by coupling capacitors. The operational frequency is automatically adjusted to a real eigenvalue of the PT-symmetric system to achieve high voltage gain and efficiency, making the system robust. The performance of the system calculated by the coupled-mode theory was experimentally verified with rigid and flexible types of receivers, confirming its potential in both industrial and biomedical electronics.

Gaining control over conjugated polymer morphology to improve the performance of organic electronics

Conjugated polymers (CPs) are widely used in various domains of organic electronics. However, the performance of organic electronic devices can be variable due to the lack of precise predictive control over the polymer microstructure. While the chemical structure of CPs is important, CP microstructure also plays an important role in determining the charge-transport, optical and mechanical properties suitable for a target device. Understanding the interplay between CP microstructure and the resulting properties, as well as predicting and targeting specific polymer morphologies, would allow current comprehension of organic electronic device performance to be improved and potentially enable more facile device optimization and fabrication. In this Feature Article, we highlight the importance of investigating CP microstructure, discuss previous developments in the field, and provide an overview of the key aspects of the CP microstructure-property relationship, carried out in our group over recent years.

Development of nano- and microdevices for the next generation of biotechnology, wearables and miniaturized instrumentation

This is a short communication based on recent high-impact publications related to how various chemical materials and substrate modifications could be tuned for nano- and microdevices, where their application for high point-of-care bioanalysis and further applications in life science is discussed. Hence, they have allowed different high-impact research topics in a variety of fields, from the control of nanoscale to functional microarchitectures embedded in various support materials to obtain a device for a given application or use. Thus, their incorporation in standard instrumentation is shown, as well as in new optical setups to record different classical and non-classical light, signaling, and energy modes at a variety of wavelengths and energy levels. Moreover, the development of miniaturized instrumentation was also contemplated. In order to develop these different levels of technology, the chemistry, physics and engineering of materials were discussed. In this manner, a number of subjects that allowed the design and manufacture of devices could be found. The following could be mentioned by way of example: (i) nanophotonics; (ii) design, synthesis and tuning of advanced nanomaterials; (iii) classical and non-classical light generation within the near field; (iv) microfluidics and nanofluidics; (v) signal waveguiding; (vi) quantum-, nano- and microcircuits; (vii) materials for nano- and microplatforms, and support substrates and their respective modifications for targeted functionalities. Moreover, nano-optics in in-flow devices and chips for biosensing were discussed, and perspectives on biosensing and single molecule detection (SMD) applications. In this perspective, new insights about precision nanomedicine based on genomics and drug delivery systems were obtained, incorporating new advanced diagnosis methods based on lab-on-particles, labs-on-a-chip, gene therapies, implantable devices, portable miniaturized instrumentation, single molecule detection for biophotonics, and neurophotonics. In this manner, this communication intends to highlight recent reports and developments of nano- and microdevices and further approaches towards the incorporation of developments in nanophotonics and biophotonics in the design of new materials based on different strategies and enhanced techniques and methods. Recent proofs of concept are discussed that could allow new substrates for device manufacturing. Thus, physical phenomena and materials chemistry with accurate control within the nanoscale were introduced into the discussion. In this manner, new potential sources of ideas and strategies for the next generation of technology in many research and development fields are showcased.

This is a short communication based on recent high-impact publications related to how various chemical materials and substrate modifications could be tuned for nano- and microdevices, where their application for high point-of-care bioanalysis and further applications in life science is discussed.

Intrinsically stretchable electronics with ultrahigh deformability to monitor dynamically moving organs

Intrinsically stretchable electronics represent an attractive platform for next-generation implantable devices by reducing the mechanical mismatch and the immune responses with biological tissues. Despite extensive efforts, soft implantable electronic devices often exhibit an obvious trade-off between electronic performances and mechanical deformability because of limitations of commonly used compliant electronic materials. Here, we introduce a scalable approach to create intrinsically stretchable and implantable electronic devices featuring the deployment of liquid metal components for ultrahigh stretchability up to 400% tensile strain and excellent durability against repetitive deformations. The device architecture further shows long-term stability under physiological conditions, conformal attachments to internal organs, and low interfacial impedance. Successful electrophysiological mapping on rapidly beating hearts demonstrates the potential of intrinsically stretchable electronics for widespread applications in health monitoring, disease diagnosis, and medical therapies.