Communications of the ACM
Researchers Design Inks for 3D-Printable Wearable Bioelectronics
The nanoengineered bioink may be used to created 3D-printable wearable bioelectronics that are electronically active and can monitor dynamic human motion.
Credit: Gaharwar Laboratory
A new class of biomaterial inks developed by researchers at Texas A&M University exhibit the same characteristics as highly conductive human tissue like skin, making them useful for three-dimensionally (3D) printed wearable bioelectronics.
The ink uses molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), a two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterial that can be combined with modified gelatin to create a flexible hydrogel.
The researchers developed a customizable, multi-head 3D bioprinter to 3D-print the ink.
The 3D-printed hydrogel ink is electrically conductive and can be used to make complex 3D circuits.
The researchers said it will allow for bioelectronics that can be customized for an individual patient's needs.
Said Texas A&M's Kaivalya Deo, "These 3D-printed devices are extremely elastomeric and can be compressed, bent, or twisted without breaking. In addition, these devices are electronically active, enabling them to monitor dynamic human motion and paving the way for continuous motion monitoring."
From Texas A&M University Engineering
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