Vialess heterogeneous skin patch for multimodal monitoring and stimulation

• Published in: Nature communications 2025-01, Vol.16 (1), p.650-14, Article 650
• Main Authors: Lee, Hyeokjun, Song, Soojeong, Yea, Junwoo, Ha, Jeongdae, Oh, Saehyuck, Jekal, Janghwan, Hong, Myung Seok, Won, Chihyeong, Jung, Han Hee, Keum, Hohyun, Han, Sangyoon, Cho, Jeong Ho, Lee, Taeyoon, Jang, Kyung-In
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 639/166/985; 692/700/228; 9/10; 9/25; Biosensors; Closed loops; Data transmission; Drug delivery; Drug Delivery Systems - instrumentation; EKG; Electric contacts; Electrocardiography - methods; Electronics; Equipment Design; Folding; Hemodynamics; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Monitoring; Monitoring, Physiologic - instrumentation; Monitoring, Physiologic - methods; multidisciplinary; Real time operation; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sensory integration; Separation; Skin; Stimulation; Telemedicine; Transdermal Patch; Waveguides; Wearable Electronic Devices; Wearable technology; Wireless Technology - instrumentation
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-55951-6

System-level wearable electronics require to be flexible to ensure conformal contact with the skin, but they also need to integrate rigid and bulky functional components to achieve system-level functionality. As one of integration methods, folding integration offers simplified processing and enhanced functionality through rigid-soft region separation, but so far, it has mainly been applied to modality of electrical sensing and stimulation. This paper introduces a vialess heterogeneous skin patch with multi modalities that separates the soft region and strain-robust region through folded structure. Our system includes electrical and optical modalities for hemodynamic and cardiovascular monitoring, and a force-electrically driven micropump for drug delivery. Each modality is demonstrated through on-demand drug delivery, flexible waveguide-based PPG monitoring, and ECG and body movement monitoring. Wireless data transmission and real-time measurement validate the feedback operation for multi-modalities. This engineered closed-loop platform offers the possibility for broad applications, including cardiovascular monitoring and chronic disease management. For system-level integration of wearable electronics, folding method offers simplified processing and enhanced functionality through rigid-soft region separation. Here, the authors introduce a heterogeneous skin patch with multimodal biosensing and responsive drug delivery through folded structure.