Now in our 13th year of bringing you beautiful imagery from biomedical science every day

Search the archive of over 4000 images

Currently Bendy

'Transformative electronics' increase the potential of wearable and implantable sensors

24 December 2019

Currently Bendy

Our clothes are getting smarter – sometimes fitted with wearable sensors that measure our fitness and health. Yet the choice of circuitry inside is often limited to 'soft' or 'hard' – restricting their potential uses or their durability. Here, a new method creates circuits that switch from hard to soft (and back again) – a change in temperature turns this circuit board from stiff and flat (top row), to soft and stretchy (bottom). The secret to these ‘transformative electronic systems’ is the gallium inside – rigid at room temperature, but stretching out when the raised above 29.8°C. Gallium is non-toxic, so these systems may be ideal for devices that work inside the human body as well as outside – such as a neural probe that becomes softer on contact with brain tissue.

Written by John Ankers

Search The Archive

Submit An Image

Follow on Tumblr

Follow on Instagram

What is BPoD?

BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

Read More

BPoD is also available in Catalan at www.bpod.cat with translations by the University of Valencia.