Researchers at INST Develop Innovative Wearable Technology

The Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST) Mohali, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology, has unveiled a groundbreaking technology for wearable applications. This advancement promises to revolutionize the creation of cost-effective, self-powered wearable devices.

Droplet Microfluidics Technology

The innovative droplet microfluidics technology developed by the INST team produces microspheres with a high electroactive (EA) phase. These microspheres can be used in piezoelectric devices to serve as self-powered sensors, monitoring various physiological signals.

Benefits and Applications

Researchers highlight that integrating this technology into wearable devices opens new avenues for efficient energy harvesting from human motion. This approach paves the way for sustainable and self-sufficient wearable devices, particularly beneficial in the biomedical sector.

Key Advantages

The new method offers several advantages:

• Simplicity
• Cost-effectiveness
• High efficiency
• Enhanced control

These benefits make it highly significant for applications beyond wearable devices, including self-powered devices and other biomedical applications.

Advanced Manufacturing Technique

The technology combines droplet microfluidics with off-chip thermal polymerization to synthesize tunable Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) microspheres. This technique addresses the limitations of existing methods, which often result in shape irregularities and high energy requirements.

Optimized Microsphere Production

The team achieved uniformity and size control of the microspheres through microfluidic techniques, ranging from 126 to 754 micrometers. Adjusting flow rates and optimizing reaction temperatures enhanced the EA phase to around 82%.

Role of Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) was crucial in this research, enabling accurate predictions for microsphere diameter and phases. This significantly reduced the need for extensive laboratory optimization before droplet generation in microfluidics.

Publication and Further Research

The study was recently published in the Chemical Engineering Journal, detailing the extensive characterization and verification of the piezoelectric response of the microspheres. This development marks a significant step forward in wearable technology and its potential applications.