New material for stretchy electronics inspired by nature

Scientists in Switzerland have come up with a material mimicking the way tendons connect to bones, which could speed the development of stretchy… Scientists in Switzerland have come up with a material mimicking the way tendons connect to bones, which could speed the development of stretchy, wearable electronic devices. “The challenge is to bridge these different properties.” Studart and his team have overcome the problem with a stretchy material made from polyurethane that contains “islands” stiff enough to house and protect delicate circuits. “There are many biological materials that have these properties as well, like the way tendons link muscle to bone,” said Studart. “But there are not so many examples in synthetic materials.” One of the companies trying to commercialise stretchable electronics is MC10 Inc, a Massachusetts-based start-up born out of research by John Rogers and his team at the University of Illinois. “Decorating the surface of the balloon with sensors or a mechanism that delivers energy gives a good way of delivering therapy to soft tissue, like the heart, to correct arrhythmia,” Kendale said.