SensNews Sept 2020

25 Sensor100 September 2020 Self-powered biosensors may open up new paths to medical tracking, treatments An international team of researchers led by Penn State engineers are exploring the development of stretchable self-powered biosensors that could one day lead to weara- ble devices that do not need to be recharged, or even sensors that are powered by the very bodily process they are designed to monitor. Wearable and implantable devices are currently used for a variety of functions, in- cluding health tracking and monitoring. However, supplying energy usually requires cumbersome batteries and downtime due to recharging. Now, an international team of researchers suggests that advances in materials and electronic design may be able to convert biomechanical energy into electric energy, paving the way for devices that can be worn and implanted but do not require constant recharging, according to Larry Cheng, Dorothy Quiggle Career Development Professor in the Department of Engi- neering Science and Mechanics, Penn State University. “In this particular review, we are looking at possible energy supply without the need for batteries and other components, so it’s of particular interest to create these ener- gy harvesters for self-powered devices, or ones that could also be used to charge up a battery,” said Cheng. The researchers said that stretchable piezoelectric materials — which are solid substances that can accumulate electrical charges — are critical to this development. “It can serve as a sensor directly because it can harvest energy, so it can provide the capability to monitor the motion — for example the heartbeat — or whatever the sensor is applied to, and then it can transmit that information from the environment, or from the body, so it can be analyzed,” said Cheng. These sensors could lead to more precise healthcare and remote health opportunities, according to the researchers, who report their findings in a review article in Biosen- sors and Bioelectronics, currently online. Penn State News 9 September