MAE 298 SEMINAR: Stretchable Electronics for Soft Biological and Robotic Systems

Abstract: Electronics that can stretch and deform open new possibilities for interfacing with soft biological and robotic systems. By conforming to dynamic surfaces and maintaining function under strain, stretchable electronics unlock powerful capabilities in physiological monitoring, therapeutic feedback and robotic proprioception. I will present our recent advances, organized around three strategies for achieving stretchability through unconventional manufacturing approaches: (1) in-plane stretchable architectures, demonstrated by microneedle electrode arrays for high-fidelity intramuscular electrophysiology; (2) out-of-plane deformations via compressive buckling, used to create origami-inspired 3D strain sensors and wrinkled parylene encapsulation for implantable devices. I will also describe our recent work on distributed strain sensors for model-based shape reconstruction in soft robots; and (3) intrinsically stretchable materials, highlighting a colloidal self-assembly and transfer-printing approach for patterning liquid metal films, enabling high-resolution devices that integrate onto balloon catheters for in vivo cardiac mapping. Together, these examples illustrate how stretchable electronics provide a versatile platform for conformal sensing across both biological and robotic systems, paving the way for future technologies in health monitoring, therapeutic feedback and autonomous soft machines.

Bio: Hangbo Zhao is an assistant professor and Philip and Cayley MacDonald Endowed Early Career Chair in the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering and the Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Southern California. His research group develops soft electronics for biomedical and robotic applications. Prior to joining USC, he was a postdoctoral researcher at Northwestern University. He received his master's degree and doctorate in mechanical engineering from MIT. Zhao has received several honors, including the NSF CAREER Award, Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award, and the Med-X Young Investigator Award.