New research shows that the shiny snake-like structures that power portable electronics can be created using the same technology used to print rock concert t-shirts. The work, led by researchers at Washington State University, shows that the electrodes can be made using just screen printing, creating a flexible, durable circuit model that can be transferred to fabric and worn directly on human skin. Such portable electronic devices can be used for health monitoring in hospitals or at home.

“We wanted to create flexible, wearable electronics that would be much simpler, more convenient, and less expensive,” said corresponding author Jung-Hoon Kim, an associate professor in the WSU Vancouver School of Engineering and Computer Science. “That’s why we focused on screen printing: it’s easy to use. It’s simple to set up and suitable for mass production.”

Current commercial production of portable electronics requires expensive processes involving clean rooms. Although screen printing is used in some parts of the process, this new method is entirely based on screen printing and provides benefits for manufacturers and ultimately consumers.

In a study published in the journal ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. Although the resulting fine pattern appears delicate, the electrodes are not fragile. Research has shown that they can stretch 30% and bend 180 degrees.

Multiple electrodes are printed on pre-treated glass slides, allowing these electrodes to be easily peeled off and transferred to tissue or other material. After printing the electrodes, the researchers transferred them to a sticky cloth that the volunteers applied directly to the skin. Wireless electrodes accurately record heart rate and respiration and send the data to a mobile phone. Although this research focuses on ECG monitoring, the screen printing process can be used to create electrodes for a variety of purposes, including those that perform functions similar to smartwatches or fitness trackers, Kim said.

Kim’s lab is currently working on expanding this technology to print different electrodes as well as entire electronic circuits and possibly even entire printed circuit boards. The study was co-authored by Kim, in addition to researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Pukyong National University in South Korea, as well as other WSU Vancouver staff.