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Stretchable, Stick-on Electronic Patches for Wireless Health Monitoring

University of Illinois and Northwestern University engineers have developed thin stick-on patches that stretch and move with the skin and incorporate commercial chip-based electronics for wireless health monitoring. The patch is constructed of a thin elastic envelope filled with fluid. The chip components are suspended on tiny raised support points, bonding them to the underlying patch but allowing the patch to bend. Tiny wires that connect the electronics components – radios, power inductors, sensors, and more - are folded like origami, so that no matter which way the patch twists or stretches, the wires can unfold in any direction to accommodate the motion. The patches could be used for everyday health tracking and could revolutionize clinical monitoring such as EKG and EEG testing.