Flexible electronics sensors and diagnostics

This talk will explore the new realm of making flexible sensors and diagnostics for point of care diagnostics. Specific applications range from early screening in resource poor settings, to smart wound dressings for chronic wounds. The key contributions of the work are on utilization of locally sourced universally available, low-cost materials such as paper, threads and textile, and close integration of such devices with  miniaturized and integrated circuits and systems.

In the first part of the talk, I will focus on the development of sensors and diagnostics on paper as an unconventional substrate. Fabrication of these devices rely on low cost, room temperature processing using a combination of screen and wax printing using locally available materials. Readout is achieved using a CMOS based low power cell phone accessory for point of care diagnostics. Other versions include using the imager on the smart phone itself for readout. An application in monitoring saliva for stomach ulcer screening will be discussed for paper diagnostics, In the second part of the talk, I will discuss our work on thread as an unconventional substrate for the realization of microfluidics, sensors and electronics for diagnostics. Beyond serving as an ideal platform for disposable lab on chip applications, thread also serves as an ideal platform for wearable and implantable application where softness, flexibility and the possibility of an intimate interface with skin and tissue is important. Application in chronic wound monitoring, smart surgical sutures and sweat monitoring will be shown. The talk will be interspersed with knowledge gaps and how the biomedical circuits and systems community can help address those in near term and long term.