Soft Electronic Strain Sensor with Chipless Wireless Readout: Toward Real‐Time Monitoring of Bladder Volume

Abstract

Abstract Sensing mechanical tissue deformation in vivo can provide detailed information on organ functionality and tissue states. To bridge the huge mechanical mismatch between conventional electronics and biological tissues, stretchable electronic systems have recently been developed for interfacing tissues in healthcare applications. A major challenge for wireless electronic implants is that they typically require microchips, which adds complexity and may compromise long‐term stability. Here, a chipless wireless strain sensor technology based on a novel soft conductor with high cyclic stability is reported. The composite material consists of gold‐coated titanium dioxide nanowires embedded in a soft silicone elastomer. The implantable strain sensor is based on an resonant circuit which consists of a stretchable plate capacitor and a coil for inductive readout of its resonance frequency. Successful continuous wireless readout during 50% strain cycles is demonstrated. The sensor element has a Young's modulus of 260 kPa, similar to that of the bladder in order to not impair physiological bladder expansion. A proof‐of‐principle measurement on an ex vivo porcine bladder is presented, which shows the feasibility of the presented materials and devices for continuous, wireless strain monitoring of various tissues and organs in vivo.