Summary:
UCLA researchers from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry have developed a novel coating that is directly sprayed on body surfaces for improved health monitoring, particularly for deep tissues.
Background:
Deep tissue activities, such as blood circulation and brain function, provide crucial insight into normal and pathological tissue function. These activities are traditionally detected and monitored as changes in electrical potential or impedance at the body surface. Accurate detection of these signals is challenging as electrical signals at the body surface are attenuated by surface irregularities and mechanical mismatches between human tissue and existing electrical readout circuits. Current technologies struggle with stable contact and are prone to motion artifacts and therefore inaccurate signal readout. Other approaches, including ionic gel conductors, can cause discomfort and suffer from low spatial resolution. There remains an unmet need for a robust and comfortable nanomaterial that improves physiological signal monitoring accuracy.
Innovation:
UCLA researchers from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry have developed a material that can be directly sprayed on body surfaces for sensitive measurement of deep tissue functions. The innovation utilizes a biocompatible material that can be directly applied to the human body under ambient conditions to create an electrically functionalized body surface (EFBS). This technology generates conformal and adaptive van der Waals thin films (VDWTFs) that can form seamlessly on surfaces with irregular and dynamic features such as hairy skin. These electrodes provide lower contact impedance than existing technologies, drastically reducing motion artifacts and improving signal extraction. This technology can revolutionize the monitoring of deep tissue function through body surface measurements by providing enhanced signal-to-noise ratios for applications such as electrocardiography (EEG), electroencephalography (EEG), arterial blood pressure monitoring, and beyond.
Potential Applications:
• Medical diagnostics
• Wearables
• Remote patient monitoring
• Brain computer interfaces
Advantages:
• Enhanced signal quality
• Low contact impedance
• Adaptability to dynamic conditions
• Reduced motion artifacts
• Skin-conformal
• Enhanced comfort
Publications:
Electrically functionalized body surface for deep-tissue bioelectrical recording
Highly stretchable van der Waals thin films for adaptable and breathable electronic membranes
Development-To-Date:
Builds on existing technology (UCLA Case No. 2022-180).
Reference:
UCLA Case No. 2025-51
Inventors:
Yu Huang, Xiangfeng Duan