Print-in-Place Electronics for E-Tattoos and Custom Bandages

Electrical engineers at Duke University  have developed a print-in-place technique for electronics that works on most surfaces, including paper and human skin. The engineers demonstrate that two electronically active leads directly printed along the underside of a finger successfully light up an LED when a voltage is applied. The advance could enable technologies for biomedical applications like embedded electronic tattoos and custom bandages with patient-specific biosensors. The Duke team first developed an ink containing silver nanowires that can be printed onto any substrate at low temperatures with an aerosol printer. It yields a thin film that maintains its conductivity without any further processing. The team then combined the conductive ink with two other printable components to create functional transistors.

Transcript

00:00:25 We were able to develop a silver nanowire ink that allows conductive traces to be printed immediately. There's no post-processing that's required. That allows for printing on a leaf or on human skin or various different delicate biological substrates. So in our lab we have arrayed various different inks made out of nanomaterials. That allows us to print electronic devices specifically for biomedical applications. We have new collaborations we've developed with folks from the medical school here at Duke. These are trained clinicians, active doctors that know where their needs are and that's exciting. It's exciting to be able to do things that have near-term translation potential.

00:01:15 So low cost highly customizable printer and substrate and inks are all required to achieve that.That's right.