The wearables market is going from strength to strength, but challenges around inter-compatibility and power supply remain. 


The Continued Evolution of Wearables

<p>In the episode, we discuss how smart helmets can prevent head trauma by providing feedback in real time to athletes and coaches. These helmets utilize advanced technology, such as sensors and smart features, to enhance safety during activities like sports. They aim to reduce the risk of head injuries and protect the wearer&#39;s head in case of impact.&nbsp;</p><p><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/8f7e3c0b-f831-4341-872d-9585846557c6?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe></span></p><hr><h3 id="isPasted">EPISODE NOTES</h3><p>(0:50) - <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/smart-helmets-to-prevent-head-trauma" target="_blank">Smart helmets to prevent head trauma</a></p><hr><p id="isPasted">As always, you can find these and other interesting &amp; impactful engineering articles on Wevolver.com.</p><p>To learn more about this show, please visit our <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" target="_blank">shows page</a>. By following the page, you will get automatic updates by email when a new show is published. Be sure to give us a follow and review on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/nl/podcast/the-next-byte/id1548255861?l=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple</a> podcasts, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6lPPsRtegnivsRUEsQ09R7?si=IPMiah7xT_apJtPjqvXMlA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spotify</a>, and most of your favorite podcast platforms!</p><p>--</p><p>The Next Byte Podcast: We&#39;re two engineers on a mission to simplify complex science &amp; technology, making it easy to understand. In each episode of our show, we dive into world-changing tech (such as AI, robotics, 3D printing, IoT, &amp; much more), all while keeping it entertaining &amp; engaging along the way.</p>

In the episode, we discuss how smart helmets can prevent head trauma by providing feedback in real time to athletes and coaches. These helmets utilize advanced technology, such as sensors and smart features, to enhance safety during activities like sports.

Podcast: Preventing Head Trauma With Smart Helmets

<p id="isPasted">The world is aging; according to the World Health Organization (WHO), between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of the population over 60 will double from 12 percent to 22 percent.</p><p>While nothing can stop us from getting older, technology can offer a means of maintaining our independence, keeping us out of hospital or aged care as the years tick by. And along with pet ownership, a good circle of friends and exercise, independent living is recognized as very positive for seniors&#39; well-being and mental health.</p><p>More than that, using technology to monitor the elderly in their homes&mdash;or at least help residential aged care facilities provide more effective care&mdash;takes pressure off the stretched budgets of healthcare services. This is something that the authorities began to appreciate years ago and something that accelerated during the pandemic. However, there is a challenge slowing widespread adoption: many older adults distrust or simply don&rsquo;t understand technology. The good news is that solutions are afoot.</p><h2><strong>Cellular IoT - technology for the elderly</strong></h2><p>One answer to slow tech uptake is ensuring that smart devices don&#39;t require much technical knowledge to operate. There is progress in this direction because 61 percent of U.S. people over 65 can use a smartphone, according to a recent study by Pew Research.</p><p>Unfortunately, the picture could be more rosy when it comes to <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Applications/Wearables?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">wearable</a> healthcare technology. Demonstrating this is the fact that only 15 percent of device users are over the age of 65, according to the <em>Journal of Medical Internet Research</em>. The solution, says the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), is to simplify technology to suit the needs of this population group &ndash; making it easy to use by anyone.</p><h2><strong>Streamlining connectivity with cellular IoT</strong></h2><p>Cellular IoT meets some of these needs because it eliminates the need for a smartphone or other gateway device to send data to the cloud. This is good news for older people, as it removes the complication of pairing devices, remembering passwords, and logging onto Wi-Fi networks.</p><p>Reassuringly, LTE-M and NB-IoT low power cellular IoT provides the gold standard for secure and reliable data transmission &ndash; something that&rsquo;s especially important when medical data is transferred. Moreover, the technology relies on infrastructure that&rsquo;s widely deployed in the shape of the existing cellular networks.</p><p>Additional security can also be applied at the chip level. For example, Nordic Semiconductor&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/nRF9160?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nRF9160</a> low-power SIP makes use of technology which increases Internet-level encryption and boosts application protection.</p><h2><strong>Keeping caregivers informed</strong></h2><p>A commercial example of cellular IoT wearables for older people comes from Californian tech firm SalusWear Corp. Last year, the company launched a wrist-worn solution designed to track and monitor individuals suffering from Alzheimer&rsquo;s, dementia, or autism. The solution can be used by individuals living independently as well as those living in aged care facilities.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/News/2022/09/SalusWear-employs-nRF9160-SiP?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">SalusWear</a> device integrates Nordic&rsquo;s nRF9160 SiP to provide LTE-M connectivity and GNSS. It reports the wearer&rsquo;s location to family, friends, or caregivers in the event they go missing, and includes an accelerometer to detect a fall. The wearable responds directly to specific SMS commands from preapproved phone numbers, without the need for a smartphone app or wearer interaction. For example, a caregiver can text &ldquo;LOCATE&rdquo; to the device&rsquo;s dedicated phone number to receive a map link to the wearer&rsquo;s location, or &ldquo;TRACK&rdquo; to receive a map link with a location update every minute.</p><h2><strong>Keeping on top of health metrics</strong></h2><p>Another set of wearables aimed at enhancing the independence and wellbeing of older people has been launched by August International. This pair of <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/News/2022/06/August-International?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">smartwatches</a> continually monitor and record a range of key health metrics, and again employ the cellular IoT connectivity of Nordic&rsquo;s nRF9160 SiP to send data directly to the cloud.</p><p>For those requiring urgent care, the smartwatches include an SOS button which calls for assistance and transmits the user&rsquo;s location to emergency services, as well as sending a prerecorded message alert and position notification to third parties. The nRF9160 SiP combines cellular network location data with GPS trilateration for precise position monitoring in case of any SOS alerts.</p><h2><strong>Combining Bluetooth and cellular connectivity</strong></h2><p>Hong Kong-based microelectronics company Dayton Industrial has gone further, integrating cellular IoT and Bluetooth LE connectivity into its new healthcare wearable. The <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/News/2022/10/Dayton-Industrials-Link2Care-Smartwatch-DA13700-uses-nRF52832-SoC-and-nRF9160-SiP?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Link2Care Smartwatch</a> DA13700 can act as both a remote healthcare/telecare solution as well as a conventional smartwatch.</p><p>This device features a 3D motion sensor to record activity and sleep data, and detect any potential falls. The user can activate an alert message with their health information and location by pressing the&#39; SOS&#39; key. Further information, including wellness data, can be uploaded to the Cloud and a customer service center via Nordic cellular IoT connectivity. Nordic&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/nRF52833?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nRF52832</a> SoC provides Bluetooth LE connectivity, enabling call and notification relaying from the seniors&rsquo; smartphone if they own one.</p><h3><strong>The future of aged care</strong></h3><p>The WHO estimates that by 2050 the world&rsquo;s population of those aged 60 years and older will reach 2.1 billion. That will put unprecedented levels of demand on aged care and healthcare facilities. Today the pressure is already being felt &ndash; but sophisticated yet easy-to-use wireless technology promises to help.</p><p>That technology will provide continuous and precise information not only on a wearer&#39;s location but also on factors such as orientation, temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and more. And machine learning (ML) at the edge performed on powerful application processors like the Arm Cortex-M33 device on the nRF9160 SiP, together with Cloud servers, will sort and analyze that data to help remote physicians make quick and informed healthcare decisions.</p><p>The result will be a large proportion of an aging population enjoying their twilight years while being independent, safe, healthy and happy.</p><hr><p>This article was first published on Nordic&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" id="isPasted"></a><a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Get Connected Blog</a>.  &nbsp;</p>

The world is aging; according to the World Health Organization (WHO), between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of the population over 60 will double from 12 percent to 22 percent.

How cellular IoT can help seniors maintain their independence

The prototype fuel cell is wrapped in a fleece and is slightly larger than a thumbnail. (Photograph: Fussenegger Lab / ETH Zurich)

In this episode, we're exploring a groundbreaking innovation from ETH Zurich that could revolutionize how we power wearable devices. It's time to say goodbye to conventional batteries and hello to a sustainable, continuous, and convenient power source.

Podcast: Power Up Your Wearable Devices with Blood Sugar!

<p>This article was first published on&nbsp;<a href="https://news.mit.edu/2023/wearable-patch-can-painlessly-deliver-drugs-through-skin-0419" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">MIT News</a>. &nbsp;</p><hr><p id="isPasted">The skin is an appealing route for drug delivery because it allows drugs to go directly to the site where they&rsquo;re needed, which could be useful for wound healing, pain relief, or other medical and cosmetic applications. However, delivering drugs through the skin is difficult because the tough outer layer of the skin prevents most small molecules from passing through it.</p><p>In hopes of making it easier to deliver drugs through the skin, MIT researchers have developed a wearable patch that applies painless ultrasonic waves to the skin, creating tiny channels that drugs can pass through. This approach could lend itself to delivery of treatments for a variety of skin conditions, and could also be adapted to deliver hormones, muscle relaxants, and other drugs, the researchers say.</p><p>&ldquo;The ease-of-use and high-repeatability offered by this system provides a game-changing alternative to patients and consumers suffering from skin conditions and premature skin aging,&rdquo; says Canan Dagdeviren, an associate professor in MIT&rsquo;s Media Lab and the senior author of the study. &ldquo;Delivering drugs this way could offer less systemic toxicity and is more local, comfortable, and controllable.&rdquo;</p><p>MIT research assistants Chia-Chen Yu and Aastha Shah are the lead authors of the&nbsp;<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.202300066" target="_blank">paper</a>, which appears in&nbsp;<em>Advanced&nbsp;</em><em>Materials</em>, as part of the journal&rsquo;s &ldquo;Rising Stars&rdquo; series, which showcases the outstanding work of researchers in the early stages of their independent careers. Other MIT authors include Research Assistant Colin Marcus and postdoc Md Osman Goni Nayeem. Nikta Amiri, Amit Kumar Bhayadia, and Amin Karami of the University of Buffalo are also authors of the paper.</p><h2><strong>A boost from sound waves</strong></h2><p>The researchers began this project as an exploration of alternative ways to deliver drugs. Most drugs are delivered orally or intravenously, but the skin is a route that could offer much more targeted drug delivery for certain applications.</p><p>&ldquo;The main benefit with skin is that you bypass the whole gastrointestinal tract. With oral delivery, you have to deliver a much larger dose in order to account for the loss that you would have in the gastric system,&rdquo; Shah says. &ldquo;This is a much more targeted, focused modality of drug delivery.&rdquo;</p><p>Ultrasound exposure has been shown to enhance the skin&rsquo;s permeability to small-molecule drugs, but most of the existing techniques for performing this kind of drug delivery require bulky equipment. The MIT team wanted to come up with a way to perform this kind of transdermal drug delivery with a lightweight, wearable patch, which could make it easier to use for a variety of applications.</p><p><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VpUCtA5D8PA?&wmode=opaque&rel=0&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-gtm-yt-inspected-7="true" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe></span></p><p id="isPasted">The device that they designed consists of a patch embedded with several disc-shaped piezoelectric transducers, which can convert electric currents into mechanical energy. Each disc is embedded in a polymeric cavity that contains the drug molecules dissolved in a liquid solution. When an electric current is applied to the piezoelectric elements, they generate pressure waves in the fluid, creating bubbles that burst against the skin. These bursting bubbles produce microjets of fluid that can penetrate through the skin&rsquo;s tough outer layer, the stratum corneum.</p><p>&ldquo;This works open the door to using vibrations to enhance drug delivery. There are several parameters that result in generation of different kinds of waveform patterns. Both mechanical and biological aspects of drug delivery can be improved by this new toolset,&rdquo; Karami says.</p><p>The patch is made of PDMS, a silicone-based polymer that can adhere to the skin without tape. In this study, the researchers tested the device by delivering a B vitamin called niacinamide, an ingredient in many sunscreens and moisturizers.</p><p>In tests using pig skin, the researchers showed that when they delivered niacinamide using the ultrasound patch, the amount of drug that penetrated the skin was 26 times greater than the amount that could pass through the skin without ultrasonic assistance.</p><p>The researchers also compared the results from their new device to microneedling, a technique sometimes used for transdermal drug delivery, which involves puncturing the skin with miniature needles. The researchers found that their patch was able to deliver the same amount of niacinamide in 30 minutes that could be delivered with microneedles over a six-hour period.</p><h2><strong>Local delivery</strong></h2><p>With the current version of the device, drugs can penetrate a few millimeters into the skin, making this approach potentially useful for drugs that act locally within the skin. These could include niacinamide or vitamin C, which is used to treat age spots or other dark spots on the skin, or topical drugs used to heal burns.</p><p>With further modifications to increase the penetration depth, this technique could also be used for drugs that need to reach the bloodstream, such as caffeine, fentanyl, or lidocaine. Dagdeviren also envisions that this kind of patch could be useful for delivering hormones such as progesterone. In addition, the researchers are now exploring the possibility of implanting similar devices inside the body to deliver drugs to treat cancer or other diseases.</p><p>The researchers are also working on further optimizing the wearable patch, in hopes of testing it soon on human volunteers. They also plan to repeat the lab experiments they did in this study, with larger drug molecules.</p><p>&ldquo;After we characterize the drug penetration profiles for much larger drugs, we would then see which candidates, like hormones or insulin, can be delivered using this technology, to provide a painless alternative for those who are currently bound to self-administer injections on a daily basis,&rdquo; Shah says.</p><p>The research was funded by the National Science Foundation, a 3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award, the Sagol Weizmann-MIT Bridge Program, Texas Instruments, Inc., the MIT Media Lab Consortium, and a K. Lisa Yang Bionics Center Graduate Fellowship.</p><hr><p>&quot;Reprinted with permission of&nbsp;<a href="https://news.mit.edu/2023/wearable-patch-can-painlessly-deliver-drugs-through-skin-0419" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">MIT News</a>&quot;  &nbsp;</p>

MIT researchers have developed a wearable patch that applies painless ultrasonic waves to the skin, creating tiny channels that drugs can pass through. Image: Courtesy of the researchers

Using ultrasonic waves that propel drug molecules into the skin, the patch could be used to treat a variety of skin conditions.

Wearable patch can painlessly deliver drugs through the skin

<p id="isPasted">Many fluid-based wearable assistive technologies today require a large and noisy pump that is impractical &ndash; if not impossible &ndash; to integrate into clothing. This leads to a contradiction: wearable devices are routinely tethered to un&shy;-wearable pumps. Now, researchers at the Soft Transducers Laboratory (<a href="https://www.epfl.ch/labs/lmts/" target="_blank">LMTS</a>) in the School of Engineering have developed an elegantly simple solution to this dilemma.</p><p><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/forx6TA_1wg?&wmode=opaque&rel=0&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-gtm-yt-inspected-9="true" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe></span><br></p><p>&ldquo;We present the world&rsquo;s first pump in the form of a fiber; in essence, tubing that generates its own pressure and flow rate,&rdquo; says LMTS head Herbert Shea. &ldquo;Now, we can sew our fiber pumps directly into textiles and clothing, leaving conventional pumps behind.&rdquo;</p><p>The research has been <a href="http://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ade8654" rel="noopener" target="_blank">published</a> in the journal <em>Science.</em></p><p><em><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 768px;"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1681388882269-f6e5d6b6.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-inner">The LMTS fiber pump &copy; LMTS EPFL&nbsp;</span></span></span></em></p><p><em><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 768px;"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1681388906955-df3aef6c.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-inner">The fiber pumps woven into fabric &copy; LMTS EPFL&nbsp;</span></span></span></em></p><h2 id="isPasted"><strong>Lightweight, powerful&hellip;and washable</strong></h2><p>Shea&rsquo;s lab has a history of forward-thinking fluidics. In 2019, they produced the world&rsquo;s first <a href="https://actu.epfl.ch/news/nature-a-stretchable-pump-for-the-next-generation-/" target="_blank">stretchable pump</a>.</p><p>&ldquo;This work builds on our previous generation of soft pump,&rdquo; says Michael Smith, an LMTS post-doctoral researcher and lead author of the study. &ldquo;The fiber format allows us to make lighter, more powerful pumps that are inherently more compatible with wearable technology.&rdquo;</p><p>The LMTS fiber pumps use a principle called charge injection electrohydrodynamics (EHD) to generate a fluid flow without any moving parts. Two helical electrodes embedded in the pump wall ionize and accelerate molecules of a special non-conductive liquid. The ion movement and electrode shape generate a net forward fluid flow, resulting in silent, vibration-free operation, and requiring just a palm-sized power supply and battery.</p><p>To achieve the pump&rsquo;s unique structure, the researchers developed a novel fabrication technique that involves twisting copper wires and polyurethane threads together around a steel rod, and then fusing them with heat. After the rod is removed, the 2 mm fibers can be integrated into textiles using standard weaving and sewing techniques.</p><p>The pump&rsquo;s simple design has a number of advantages. The materials required are cheap and readily available, and the manufacturing process can be easily scaled up. Because the amount of pressure generated by the pump is directly linked to its length, the tubes can be cut to match the application, optimizing performance while minimizing weight. The robust design can also be washed with conventional detergents.</p><p><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 768px;"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1681388950012-578e7f6a.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-inner">Fabrication of the fiber pump &copy; LMTS EPFL&nbsp;</span></span></span></p><p><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 768px;"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1681388971485-9c7249d4.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-inner">Woven pump demonstration &copy; LMTS EPFL&nbsp;</span></span></span></p><h2 id="isPasted"><strong>From exoskeletons to virtual reality</strong></h2><p>The authors have already demonstrated how these fiber pumps can be used in new and exciting wearable technologies. For example, they can circulate hot and cold fluid through garments for those working in extreme temperature environments or in a therapeutic setting to help manage inflammation; and even for those looking to optimize athletic performance.</p><p>&ldquo;These applications require long lengths of tubing anyway, and in our case, the tubing is the pump. This means we can make very simple and lightweight fluidic circuits that are convenient and comfortable to wear,&rdquo; Smith says.</p><p>The study also describes artificial muscles made from fabric and embedded fiber pumps, which could be used to power soft exoskeletons to help patients move and walk.</p><p>The pump could even bring a new dimension to the world of virtual reality by simulating the sensation of temperature. In this case, users wear a glove with pumps filled with hot or cold liquid, allowing them to feel temperature changes in response to contact with a virtual object.</p><h2><strong>Pumped up for the future</strong></h2><p>The researchers are already looking to improve the performance of their device. &ldquo;The pumps already perform well, and we&rsquo;re confident that with more work, we can continue to make improvements in areas like efficiency and lifetime,&rdquo; says Smith. Work has already started on scaling up the production of the fiber pumps, and the LMTS also has plans to embed them into more complex wearable devices.</p><p>&ldquo;We believe that this innovation is a game-changer for wearable technology,&rdquo; Shea says.</p><p><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 768px;"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1681389002841-5a0f4fdc.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-inner">The pumps integrated into a glove &copy; LMTS EPFL&nbsp;</span></span></span></p><p><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 768px;"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1681389020252-1c9f5836.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-inner">Infrared image of the pumps integrated into a t-shirt &copy; LMTS EPFL&nbsp;</span></span></span></p><hr><p><strong id="isPasted">References</strong></p><p>Smith M, Cacucciolo V, Shea H. Fiber pumps for wearable fluidic systems. Science. 2023 Mar 31;379(6639):1327-1332. doi:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ade8654" rel="noopener" target="_blank">10.1126/science.ade8654</a>. Epub 2023 Mar 30.</p>

The fiber pumps knit into fabric © LMTS EPFL

EPFL researchers have developed fiber-like pumps that allow high-pressure fluidic circuits to be woven into textiles without an external pump. Soft supportive exoskeletons, thermoregulatory clothing, and immersive haptics can therefore be powered from pumps sewn into the fabric of the devices themselves.

Thread-like pumps can be woven into clothes

<p id="isPasted">This article was written by Tsuyoshi Takeda from Panasonic for TechBlick and first appeared on <a href="https://www.techblick.com/post/beyolex-for-soft-circuit-solutions-panasonic" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">this link.</a> The Electronic Materials Business Division of Panasonic Industry Co.,Ltd. (Panasonic) is a premier supplier of electronic materials like printed circuit boards laminates, semiconductor packaging materials, display films and other leading-edge products.&nbsp;</p><p>Leveraging our core expertise in high-performance thermosetting polymer chemistry, we developed BEYOLEX&trade;, a fully cross-linked, non-silicone, thermosetting stretchable film. BEYOLEX&trade; is specifically designed as a soft, stretchable, and durable substrate for reliable printed electronics. BEYOLEX&trade; exhibits superior performance when compared to existing stretchable films like Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) and Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and is under evaluation and qualification for a wide variety of demanding applications. In collaboration with our innovative partners, Panasonic introduces our latest case studies on soft circuit development which is one of the promising applications of BEYOLEX&trade;.</p><hr><h3>Case Study 1: Pliable PCB made with copper sintering ink</h3><p>InnovationLab and Panasonic developed a pliable PCB demonstrator. This device was designed and manufactured by InnovationLab using BEYOLEX&trade; and sintered copper ink. Generally, the copper inks require a high sintering temperature (&gt;160 &deg;C), which is extremely challenging for TPU. As can be seen in Pic 1, the BEYOLEX&trade; substrate had no difficulty tolerating the sintering temperature and exhibited no damage from the process. Furthermore, the combination of the high temperature tolerance of BEYOLEX&trade; and the solderability of the sintered copper ink &nbsp;enabled component mounting with standard solders such as Sn-Bi or SAC305: resulting in reliable and high density assemblies and delivering a functional PCB with more pliability and softness than typical flexible printed circuits (FPCs.) 　</p><div data-hook="rcv-block12" type="paragraph"><br></div><div data-hook="imageViewer" tabindex="0"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjgxMjQzMzQ4MTIzLTE2ODEyNDMzNDgxMjMucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" alt="" data-pin-media="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/090711_4a367e5ea8b54dc3b278e4d91f691fab~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_900,h_742,al_c,q_85/090711_4a367e5ea8b54dc3b278e4d91f691fab~mv2.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dii"></div><div data-hook="rcv-block14" type="image"><br></div><p>Pic 1: Pliable PCB made by InnovationLab</p><hr><p>Panasonic will be exhibiting at the TechBlick event on the Future of Electronics RESHAPED. Please join us in Berlin on 17-18 OCT 2023. More info <a href="https://www.techblick.com/electronicsreshaped" id="isPasted" target="_blank">here</a></p><p><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 766px;"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1681243834906-email+%28Berlin-2023%29.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-inner" data-dl-input-translation="true"><a href="https://www.techblick.com/electronicsreshaped" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.techblick.com/electronicsreshaped</a></span></span></span></p><hr><h3>Case Study 2: Stretchable hybrid PCB made using copper ink and stretchable silver paste&nbsp;</h3><div data-hook="rcv-block17" type="h3"><br></div><p>Kelenn Technology, a leading manufacturer of printing equipment, also makes functional inks that are customized for their printing systems. Using their proprietary Direct Material Deposition (DMD) technology, Kelenn Technology printed land pads with copper ink and circuit traces with stretchable silver-based paste onto BEYOLEX&trade; film (Pic 2). This hybrid circuit produced a solderable, stretchable PCB configuration that would be difficult to achieve with copper circuitry alone. Definitely, BEYOLEX&trade; is the only substrate solution for this design.&nbsp;</p><div data-hook="rcv-block19" type="paragraph"><br></div><div data-hook="rcv-block20" type="paragraph"><br></div><div data-hook="imageViewer" tabindex="0"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjgxMjQzMzQ4OTcxLTE2ODEyNDMzNDg5NzEucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" alt="" data-pin-media="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/090711_ec3b66bae7ef4a8bac4b59e8699970c5~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_900,h_717,al_c,q_85/090711_ec3b66bae7ef4a8bac4b59e8699970c5~mv2.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dii"></div><div data-hook="rcv-block21" type="image"><br></div><p>Pic 2: Stretchable PCB made by Kelenn Technology &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</p><p>Subsequently, Panasonic engineers reflowed solder paste onto test vehicles prepared by Kelenn Technology. We printed an industry standard SAC305 solder paste and reflowed the part in a Vapor Solder Oven with a temperature of 230&deg;C. We confirmed both the solderability of the copper ink pads provided by Kelenn Technology as well as the mechanical integrity of BEYOLEX&trade; after soldering (Pic 3). As a result of this test, we believe BEYOLEX&trade;, with sintered copper ink, is a promising solution for solderable, pliable or even stretchable PCB constructions.</p><div data-hook="rcv-block24" type="paragraph"><br></div><div data-hook="imageViewer" tabindex="0"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjgxMjQzMzQ1NzY4LTE2ODEyNDMzNDU3NjgucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" alt="" data-pin-media="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/090711_a29a1cd0f67343ecbbf3dea16b496471~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_900,h_556,al_c,q_85/090711_a29a1cd0f67343ecbbf3dea16b496471~mv2.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dii"></div><div data-hook="rcv-block26" type="image"><br></div><p>Pic 3: Soldering on Cu</p><p>This technology will be presented at TechBlick&#39;s event in Berlin on 17-18 OCT 2023. You can learn more info<a href="https://www.techblick.com/electronicsreshaped" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here</a>. This is the most important global event on printed electronics, stretchable and soft electronics, and wearable electronics.&nbsp;</p><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1681243915891-email+%28Berlin-2023%29.jpg" style="width: 760px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><hr><h3>Case study 3: Tackling the challenges of truly stretchable electronics</h3><p>Stretchable silver pastes are an attractive conductor solution for new form factor devices. However, these polymer composite pastes have inherent limitations for forming truly stretchable electronics; typically, the resistance increases significantly with each elongation cycle and these increases are cumulative, climbing with each stretch cycle. A printable Liquid Metal Based Composite developed by University of Coimbra (UoC) is a promising solution to this issue. UoC&rsquo;s ink exhibits metallic conductivity and much lower resistance change during stretch cycles compared to silver-polymer pastes. Thanks to the lack of plastic deformation of BEYOLEX&trade;, UoC&rsquo;s ink printed on BEYOLEX&trade; looks to be a promising combination for truly stretchable electronics requiring repeated stretching (Pic 4).&nbsp;</p><div data-hook="rcv-block31" type="paragraph"><br></div><div data-hook="rcv-block33" type="empty-line"><br></div><div data-hook="imageViewer" tabindex="0"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjgxMjQzMzQ4NDAzLTE2ODEyNDMzNDg0MDMucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" alt="" data-pin-media="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/090711_7b7f233db9a746e6ad504d65e4c2c543~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_1200,h_787,al_c,q_85/090711_7b7f233db9a746e6ad504d65e4c2c543~mv2.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dii"></div><div data-hook="rcv-block34" type="image"><br></div><p>Pic 4: Stretchable LED with capacitive touch by UoC</p><p>The soft-circuit solutions made with BEYOLEX&trade; introduced in this article are made by additive printing processes which are generally more environmentally friendly than the conventional subtractive PCB fabrication process. &nbsp;Panasonic&rsquo;s Electronic Materials Business Division keeps contributing to create value and to society through innovative materials.</p><p data-hook="rcv-block37" type="paragraph">Panasonic will be exhibiting at the TechBlick show on The Future of Electronics RESHAPED in Berlin on 17-19 OCT 2023. You can find more information <a href="https://www.techblick.com/electronicsreshaped" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a></p><p><br></p>

A novel stretchable film has been developed for soft & stretchable circuit / electronic solutions, outperforming existing films like TPU.  Here you can learn about case studies showcasing its potential in pliable PCBs, stretchable hybrid PCBs, and truly stretchable electronics. 

A Novel Substrate for Soft Circuit Solutions: Case Studies and Results

<p id="isPasted">This article was discussed in our <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte&source=gmail&ust=1672821999265000&usg=AOvVaw3lLKdHdEN0YvCEsaHI7hx9" href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Next Byte podcast</a>.&nbsp;</p><p><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/8f7e3c0b-f831-4341-872d-9585846557c6?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-gtm-yt-inspected-9="true"></iframe></span><br></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent;">The full article will continue below.</span></p><hr><p><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k05JnvYgEg4?&wmode=opaque&rel=0&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-gtm-yt-inspected-9="true" id="244156191" title="Smart helmets to prevent head trauma"></iframe></span><br></p><p id="isPasted">In hockey, body checks are part of the game. Players often use their shoulder, hip or elbow to drive an opponent into the boards so they can steal the puck. While such moves are behind a lot of the action and suspense, they can have serious consequences. The Swiss Ice Hockey Federation recorded 104 concussions among players in the two highest leagues during the 2016&ndash;2017 season. Medical care and a few days of rest are usually all it takes for players to recover without any real consequences. But in many cases, the severity of the injury is underestimated because the initial symptoms appear mild. And repeated head impacts that aren&rsquo;t treated properly can cause serious long-term brain damage. Hockey associations are gradually becoming aware of this problem and are seeking solutions, such as flexible dasher boards and better-padded helmets.</p><p>Bearmind was founded by two former athletes who decided to apply their engineering know-how to injury prevention. Their smart helmet is equipped with sensors connected to a smartphone app that gives players and coaches real-time information on the strength, frequency and severity of head impacts. Starting next season, the sensors will be integrated into the foam padding used inside helmets in order to serve as pressure detectors. Bearmind has ambitious goals: it hopes to find additional investors for its first funding round, which had already reached CHF 1.3 million by early March, to supply its helmets to US hockey players, and to develop systems for other sports.</p><h2><strong>Turning foam into pressure detectors</strong></h2><p>A number of players on two national hockey teams in western Switzerland &ndash; the Lausanne and Ajoie Hockey Clubs &ndash; are currently using Bearmind&rsquo;s helmets. These look exactly like regular helmets apart from a small oval-shaped device attached to the exterior, although that will change next season. Mathieu Falbriard, Bearmind cofounder and CEO, explains: &ldquo;We&rsquo;re working with a helmet manufacturer to incorporate our sensors into the foam padding, based on technology we recently patented.&rdquo; These sensors are what will allow the app to relay detailed, real-time information about the force and timing of head impacts.</p><p>The technology employs algorithms that Falbriard developed at EPFL&rsquo;s Laboratory of Movement Analysis and Measurement. They compile data from all players wearing the helmets, so that the impacts experienced by an athlete can also be compared with an average. With Bearmind&rsquo;s system, coaches will know if they need to remove a player from a game, change the player&rsquo;s training program or take additional steps to prevent injury or improve performance. According to Tom Bertrand, Bearmind cofounder and COO, &ldquo;Our goal is for coaches to be able to monitor athletes&rsquo; neurological condition, just like they already do for athletes&rsquo; physical and mental condition.&rdquo;</p><h2><strong>A clinical study with three national hockey teams</strong></h2><p><strong><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 768px;"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjgwNjI5NDIzMzU4LTlhNDJiN2JiLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-inner">Eric Walsky, head coach, with the Gen&egrave;ve-Servette U20 team &copy; 2023 Alain Herzog&nbsp;</span></span></span></strong></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent;">Walsky, who coaches the under-20 hockey team for Gen&egrave;ve-Servette, believes head impacts are &ldquo;a risk inherent to the game.&rdquo; He personally suffered a serious concussion that cut short his athletic career but didn&rsquo;t diminish his love for the sport. Walsky&rsquo;s experience also made him realize that coaches and players often underestimate the symptoms of brain injury, like headaches, dizziness and nausea, and that the long-term consequences can be dramatic. If a brain injury isn&rsquo;t treated properly or if a player experiences additional head impacts before the injury is fully healed, the player can develop chronic traumatic encephalopathy &ndash; a neurodegenerative disease leading to severe and potentially lifelong behavioral, mood and cognitive problems. &ldquo;Athletes often start training and competing again too soon after an injury, and sometimes they&rsquo;re encouraged to by those around them,&rdquo; says Walsky. Smart helmets could help counter that tendency by providing objective data for the short, medium and long term.</span></p><p>Bearmind is currently testing a prototype helmet at Lausanne University Hospital to assess its potential as a medical device, through a clinical study funded by Innosuisse. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve been conducting regular medical exams of players wearing our helmet, including a functional MRI at the start and end of the season and in the event of a head impact,&rdquo; says Falbriard. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re also running monthly cognitive evaluations.&rdquo; The first results will be available at the end of this year.</p>

Players may not be aware of the severity of head impacts suffered during a game. Bearmind, an EPFL spin-off, has developed smart helmets that provide a series of metrics enabling coaches to monitor the neurological effects of head impacts suffered by their players. The firm hopes to quickly conquer the US market.

Smart helmets to prevent head trauma

<p id="isPasted">In elite sports, fractions of a second sometimes make the difference between victory and defeat. To optimize their performance, athletes use custom-made insoles. But people with musculoskeletal pain also turn to insoles to combat their discomfort.</p><p>Before specialists can accurately fit such insoles, they must first create a pressure profile of the feet. To this end, athletes or patients have to walk barefoot over pressure-sensitive mats, where they leave their individual footprints. Based on this pressure profile, orthopaedists then create customised insoles by hand. The problem with this approach is that optimisations and adjustments take time. Another disadvantage is that the pressure-sensitive mats allow measurements only in a confined space, but not during workouts or outdoor activities.</p><p>Now an invention by a research team from ETH Zurich, Empa and EPFL could greatly improve things. The researchers used 3D printing to produce a customised insole with integrated pressure sensors that can measure the pressure on the sole of the foot directly in the shoe during various activities.</p><p>&ldquo;You can tell from the pressure patterns detected whether someone is walking, running, climbing stairs, or even carrying a heavy load on their back &ndash; in which case the pressure shifts more to the heel,&rdquo; explains co-project leader Gilberto Siqueira, Senior Assistant at Empa and at ETH Complex Materials Laboratory. This makes tedious mat tests a thing of the past. The invention was recently featured in the journal <em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-29261-0" target="_blank">Scientific Reports</a></em></p><h2><strong>One device, multiple inks</strong></h2><p>These insoles aren&rsquo;t just easy to use, they&rsquo;re also easy to make. They are produced in just one step &ndash; including the integrated sensors and conductors &ndash; using a single 3D printer, called an extruder.</p><p>For printing, the researchers use various inks developed specifically for this application. As the basis for the insole, the materials scientists use a mixture of silicone and cellulose nanoparticles.</p><p>Next, they print the conductors on this first layer using a conductive ink containing silver. They then print the sensors on the conductors in individual places using ink that contains carbon black. The sensors aren&rsquo;t distributed at random: they are placed exactly where the foot sole pressure is greatest. To protect the sensors and conductors, the researchers coat them with another layer of silicone.</p><p>An initial difficulty was to achieve good adhesion between the different material layers. The researchers resolved this by treating the surface of the silicone layers with hot plasma.</p><p>As sensors for measuring normal and shear forces, they use piezo components, which convert mechanical pressure into electrical signals. In addition, the researchers have built an interface into the sole for reading out the generated data.</p><p><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 768px;"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1679273220312-3d-printed-insoles-mea.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-inner">The sensors are individually placed. (all photographs: Marco Binelli / ETH Zurich)</span></span></span></p><p><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 768px;"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1679273294696-3d-printed-insoles-mea-1.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-inner">The insole including the sensors is sealed at the end. (Photograph: ETH / Empa)</span></span></span></p><h2 id="isPasted"><strong>Running data soon to be read out wirelessly</strong></h2><p>Tests showed the researchers that the additively manufactured insole works well. &ldquo;So with data analysis, we can actually identify different activities based on which sensors responded and how strong that response was,&rdquo; Siqueira says.</p><p>At the moment, Siqueira and his colleagues still need a cable connection to read out the data; to this end, they have installed a contact on the side of the insole. One of the next development steps, he says, will be to create a wireless connection. &ldquo;However, reading out the data hasn&rsquo;t been the main focus of our work so far.&rdquo;</p><p>In the future, 3D-printed insoles with integrated sensors could be used by athletes or in physiotherapy, for example to measure training or therapy progress. Based on such measurement data, training plans can then be adjusted and permanent shoe insoles with different hard and soft zones can be produced using 3D printing.</p><p>Although Siqueira believes there is strong market potential for their product, especially in elite sports, his team hasn&rsquo;t yet taken any steps towards commercialisation.</p><p>Researchers from Empa, ETH Zurich and EPFL were involved in the development of the insole. EPFL researcher Danick Briand coordinated the project, and his group supplied the sensors, while the ETH and Empa researchers developed the inks and the printing platform. Also involved in the project were the Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and orthopaedics company Numo. The project was funded by the ETH Domain&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.sfa-am.ch/about.html" target="_blank">Advanced Manufacturingcall</a> Strategic Focus Areas programme.</p><p><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ACYedzZs7RU?&wmode=opaque&rel=0&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe></span><em>(Video: Nicole Davidson / ETH Zurich)&nbsp;</em></p><hr><h2 id="isPasted">Reference</h2><p>Binelli MR, van Dommelen R, Nagel Y, et al. Digital manufacturing of personalised footwear with embedded sensors. Sci Rep 13, 1962 (2023). doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-29261-0" target="_blank">external page10.1038/s41598-023-29261-0</a></p>

The insoles, together with the integrated sensors and conductive tracks, are produced in just one step on a 3D printer. (Photograph: Marco Binelli / ETH Zurich)

Researchers at ETH Zurich, Empa and EPFL are developing a 3D-​printed insole with integrated sensors that allows the pressure of the sole to be measured in the shoe and thus during any activity. This helps athletes or patients to determine performance and therapy progress.