iCANX Youth Talks Vol. 02

February 21th, 2023

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Direct Link: https://wx.vzan.com/live/page/1875078674?v=1676871354000&jumpitd=1 

Stimuli-responsive, morphing liquid crystal elastomer structures and electronics for intelligent systems

Xueju Wang

Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Connecticut, USA

E-mail : xueju.wang@uconn.edu

Website : https://www.wangresearchlab.com/

ABSTRACT

Intelligent systems with capabilities of sensing, actuation, and closed-loop control are promising for many applications such as augmented reality, rehabilitation, and soft robotics. In this talk, I will present our work on stimuli-responsive materials, structures, and electronics toward this effort. I will start with our study on liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs), a type of smart material that has capabilities of soft elasticity and large, reversible shape-changing behaviors due to liquid crystal-polymer network couplings. Through introducing a versatile mechanical programming technique, previously inaccessible reconfigurable three-dimensional structures made of LCEs and their magnetic composites are created and their potential applications in soft robotics are demonstrated. I will further present our facile strategy to locally tailor the stiffness and the morphing behavior of these reconfigurable LCE structures by harnessing molecular-material-structure interactions, i.e., locally controlled mesogen alignment and crosslinking densities. Selective photopolymerization of spatially aligned LCE structures yields well-controlled lightly and highly crosslinked domains of distinct stiffness and selective permanent mesogen programming, which enables various previously inaccessible stiffness-heterogeneous geometries, as demonstrated in diverse morphing LCE structures via integrated experimental and finite element analysis. Furthermore, reprogramming of the non-photopolymerized regions allows for reshaping, as shown in a sequentially shape morphing LCE rod and “face”. The heterogenous morphing LCE structures have the potential for many applications including in artificial muscles, soft robotics, and many others. In addition, a simple strategy for creating 3D thermochromic LCE structures with synchronous shape-morphing and color-changing capabilities for biomimetic robotics will also be introduced. I will conclude my talk with soft sensing devices for in situ pressure measurements, beyond the actuation capabilities enabled by LCEs. The introduced actuation and sensing strategies and concepts are promising for many intelligent platforms.

用于智能系统的变形液晶弹性体结构和传感器

具备感知、致动和闭环控制能力的智能系统在增强现实、康复和软性机器人等领域有着广泛的应用前景。在本次演讲中，我将介绍我们的研究成果，主要关注于具有刺激响应特性的材料、结构和电子设备，以期推动这一领域的发展。首先，我们研究了液晶弹性体（LCEs）这种智能材料，由于其液晶-聚合物网络耦合作用，具备软弹性和大变形、可逆形状变化等特性。通过引入多功能的机械编程技术，我们成功地创建了以往难以实现的可重构三维结构，并演示了其在软性机器人领域的应用潜力。此外，我们还提出了一种简便的策略，可以通过分子-材料-结构相互作用（即局部控制介质排列和交联密度）来定制这些可重构LCE结构的硬度和形状变化特性。通过空间定向LCE结构的选择性光聚合，我们可以制备出轻度和高度交联的不同硬度域，从而实现以往难以实现的硬度异质性几何结构。此外，通过对未光聚合区域的再编程，我们可以实现形状的再塑造。这种异质形状变化LCE结构有着广泛的应用前景，包括在人工肌肉、软性机器人等领域。此外，我们还介绍了一种简单的策略，可以创建具有同步形状变化和变色能力的三维热致变色LCE结构，用于仿生机器人领域。最后，我们介绍了用于原位压力测量的软性感测设备，超越了LCEs的致动能力。这些引入的致动和感测策略和概念对于智能平台的发展有着广泛的应用前景。 

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Xueju Wang is currently an Assistant Professor in Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) and affiliated faculty in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Connecticut (UConn). She obtained her Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2016 did her postdoc with Prof. John A. Rogers at Northwestern University. Her current research group focuses on stimuli-responsive materials and structures as well as bio-integrated electronics, for applications from soft robotics to biomedical devices. Her recent works have been published in journals including Nature, Nature Communications, PNAS, Advanced Materials, and Matter. In recognition of her research achievements, she has received the EML Young Investigator Award, NSF CAREER Award, NIH Trailblazer AWARD, PMSE Young Investigator Award, and the ASME Orr Early Career Award.

王学举, 康涅狄格大学（UConn）材料科学与工程（MSE）系和生物医学系助理教授。她于2016年在乔治亚理工学院获得了机械工程博士学位，并随后在西北大学John A. Rogers教授组进行博士后研究。她的研究小组目前专注于响应刺激材料和结构以及生物集成电子器件，涵盖从软体机器人到生物医疗设备的应用。她的研究成果发表在Nature、Nature Communications、PNAS、Advanced Materials和Matter等期刊上。她曾获得EML年轻研究者奖、NSF CAREER奖、NIH Trailblazer奖、PMSE年轻研究者奖和ASME Orr早期职业奖，以表彰她的研究成就。

Standalone stretchable device platform for human health monitoring

用于人体健康监测的独立可拉伸设备平台

Huanyu Cheng

Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, Penn State University, USA

E-mail: huanyu.cheng@psu.edu

Website: sites.psu.edu/chenggroup

 ABSTRACT

Conventional electronics today form on the planar surfaces of brittle wafer substrates and are not compatible with 3D deformable surfaces. As a result, stretchable electronic devices have been developed for continuous health monitoring. Practical applications of the next-generation stretchable electronics hinge on the integration of stretchable sustained power supplies with highly sensitive on-skin sensors and wireless transmission modules. This talk presents the challenges, design strategies, and novel fabrication processes behind a potential standalone stretchable device platform that (a) integrates with 3D curvilinear dynamically changing surfaces, and (b) dissolves completely after its effective operation. The resulting device platform creates application opportunities in fundamental biomedical research, disease diagnostic confirmation, healthy aging, human-machine interface, and smart internet of things.

以往传统的电子电路只能制备在刚性二维基底上，与三维可变形表面不兼容。目前，可拉伸的电子设备已经被开发出来，并用于连续健康监测。下一代可拉伸电子产品的实际应用取决于如何实现将可拉伸的供能模块、高灵敏度的贴身传感器和无线传输模块相集成。本讲座将介绍一个具有较大发展潜力的可拉伸设备平台及其背后的挑战、设计策略和新颖的制造工艺。该设备平台 一方面可与3D动态变化曲面相集成，另一方面可在其有效运行后完全溶解。因此，这种设备平台可在基础生物医学研究、疾病诊断确认、老年人健康监测、人机界面和智能物联网等领域具有巨大的应用前景。

BIOGRAPHY

Prof. Huanyu "Larry" Cheng is the James L. Henderson, Jr. Memorial Associate Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics at Penn State University. His research group focuses on the design, fabrication, and application of the standalone stretchable device platform. Larry has co-authored more than 130 publications with total citations >16,000 according to Google Scholar. His work has been recognized through the reception of numerous awards, including the Humboldt Research Fellowship for Experienced Researchers, 2022 Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS) Functional Materials Division (FMD) Young Leaders Professional Development Award, 2021 NIH Trailblazer Award, MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35 (TR35 China) in 2021, 2021 Scialog Fellow in Advancing BioImaging, 2021 Frontiers of Materials Award from TMS, Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2017, among others. He also serves as the associate editor for 7 journals and reviewer for > 230 journals. 

程寰宇教授（Huanyu "Larry" Cheng）是宾夕法尼亚州立大学工程科学与力学学院James L. Henderson, Jr. Memorial副教授。他的研究小组专注于独立可拉伸设备平台的设计、制造和应用。根据Google Scholar的统计，程教授已发表130多篇论文，总引用次数超过16,000次。其工作获得了众多奖项，包括2022年洪堡研究奖学金、2022年矿物、金属和材料学会（TMS）功能材料分会（FMD）青年领袖专业发展奖、2021年NIH先锋奖、2021年MIT技术评论创新者35岁以下（TR35中国）奖、2021年TMS成像生物学前沿奖、2021年TMS材料前沿奖、2017年福布斯30位30岁以下精英等。并担任7种期刊的副编辑以及230多种期刊的审稿人。

Intelligent Skin electronics for healthcare monitoring and touch VR

 Xinge Yu

Department of Biomedical engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

E-mail : xingeyu@cityu.edu.hk

Website : yu-electronics.com/

ABSTRACT

Soft bio-integrated electronics have attracted great attentions due to the advantages of soft, lightweight, ultrathin architecture, and stretchable/bendable, thus has the potential to apply in various areas, especially in the field of biomedical engineering. By engineering the classes of materials processing and devices integration, the mechanical properties of the flexible electronics can well match the soft biological tissues to enable measuring bio signals and monitoring human body health. In this report, we will present materials, device structures, power delivery strategies and communication schemes as the basis for novel soft bio-integrated electronics. For instance, we will discuss a wireless, battery-free platform of electronic systems and haptic interfaces capable of softly laminating onto the skin to communicate information via spatio-temporally programmable patterns of localized mechanical vibrations. The resulting technology, which we refer as epidermal VR, creates many opportunities where the skin provides an electronically programmable communication and sensory input channel to the body, as demonstrated through example applications in social media/personal engagement, prosthetic control/feedback and gaming/entertainment. Other demonstrations will include a flexible bio piezoelectric microsystems for tissue pathology biopsies (cancer diagnosis), and skin like patches as sweat sensors for healthcare monitoring and energy harvesting.

智能皮肤电子用于健康感知和触觉VR

开发基于柔性电子的和人体的感知与交互技术在生物医疗、健康、传感等诸多领域上有着非常重要的意义，因此也是柔性电子技术研究的重中之中。目前全球的研究成果集中在柔性电子的传感技术上，而柔性电子的信息反馈的研究却相对匮乏。其中主要原因之一是柔性信息反馈技术依赖的执行器件相较于传感器件，在尺寸和重量以及功耗上均较大。但是信息反馈技术在柔性电子的交互和感知上是不可缺少的一环。例如，柔性电子在通过佩戴的方式可以在人体上收集健康生理信号的变化。同时，收集到的健康信号通过采样处理可以及时分析出佩戴者的健康状况以及潜在疾病发作发现，进而通过如声音、压力等物理刺激等信息反馈及时告知用户。通常我们也称这种技术为人机交互，其也在国防、医疗健康、培训、社交媒体以及娱乐等诸多领域中有都有着重要的意义。作为新型柔性电子的电子皮肤具有柔软轻薄的特点，近年来被广泛研究并用于健康医疗等领域。本报告将设计柔性电子皮肤在健康监测，医疗和人机交互及触觉VR领域的应用。

BIOGRAPHY

Xinge Yu is currently an Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at City University of Hong Kong (CityU), Associate Director of the CAS-CityU Joint Lab on Robotics, and Assistant Director of Hong Kong Centre for Cerebro-cardiovascular Health Engineering. Dr Yu is the recipient of Innovators under 35 China (MIT Technology Review), NSFC Excellent Young Scientist Grant (Hong Kong & Macao), New Innovator of IEEE NanoMed, MINE Young Scientist Award, Gold Medal in the Inventions Geneva, CityU Outstanding Research Award etc. Dr Yu is also the Associate Editor of Microsystems & Nanoengineering, IEEE Open Journal of Nanotechnology, and Editor/Editorial Board of 12 journals. Xinge Yu’s research group is focusing on skin-integrated electronics and systems for VR and biomedical applications. He has published 140 papers in Nature, Nature Materials, Nature Biomedical Engineering, Nature Machine Intelligence, Nature Communications, Science Advances etc. 

于欣格，香港城市大学生物医学工程系副教授、博导，香港城大-中科院 机器人联合实验室副主任，香港心脑血管健康工程研究中心协理副主任。优秀青年科学基金（港澳）、《麻省理工科技评论》创新35人、IEEE纳米医学发明家、MINE青年科学家、日内瓦国际发明展金奖等奖项获得者。研究方向为新型柔性电子在生物医疗领域以及智能触觉VR中的应用。《Microsystems & Nanoengineering》等10余部期刊的副主编、分区主编、编委。在《Nature》、《Nature Materials》、《Nature Biomedical Engineering》、《Nature Machine Intelligence》《Nature Communications》《Science Advances》等期刊发表论文140余篇。

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