Printed Circuit that Operates in Human Soft Tissues Developed

A printed electronic circuit which can conform and operate - even in the human body's soft tissues - has been made by researchers.

A demonstration circuit was successfully implanted into a laboratory rat by the staff from the University of Texas at Dallas and the University of Tokyo.

Shaping to body form
The team printed organic thin film transistors on to a smart plastic shape-memory polymer (SMP). When the SMP is introduced to the human body it can wrap around sensitive body structures and will not cause damage, irritate or be expelled by a body's immune system.

Jonathon Reeder, a University of Texas researcher explains: 'During production, you can predetermine the shape of the SMP strip, depending on the shape of the tissue you are going to implant it into. With this work, we are demonstrating the first electronic device that softens and adapts to the morphology of soft tissue after exposure to physiological conditions.'

Enhancing implants
By developing the SMP circuits in conjunction with printed electronic biosensors a new range of implantable medical devices. These could be used in soft tissue areas, like the brain for the first time. A flexible printed monitoring circuit could also improve upon active implants currently used in various disciplines - including cardiology - and help amputees control prosthetic limbs.

Ultimately a wider roll out of in-body monitors would limit the need for expensive medical procedures like, CAT scans, bloods tests and invasive surgery. This would reduce the cost to healthcare providers and the number of patient deaths during surgery.