Search for: All records

Abstract Wearable piezoresistive sensors are being developed as electronic skins (E‐skin) for broad applications in human physiological monitoring and soft robotics. Tactile sensors with sufficient sensitivities, durability, and large dynamic ranges are required to replicate this critical component of the somatosensory system. Multiple micro/nanostructures, materials, and sensing modalities have been reported to address this need. However, a trade‐off arises between device performance and device complexity. Inspired by the microstructure of the spinosum at the dermo epidermal junction in skin, a low‐cost, scalable, and high‐performance piezoresistive sensor is developed with high sensitivity (0.144 kPa^‐1), extensive sensing range ( 0.1–15 kPa), fast response time (less than 150 ms), and excellent long‐term stability (over 1000 cycles). Furthermore, the piezoresistive functionality of the device is realized via a flexible transparent electrode (FTE) using a highly stable reduced graphene oxide self‐wrapped copper nanowire network. The developed nanowire‐based spinosum microstructured FTEs are amenable to wearable electronics applications. 

Abstract Cardiotoxicity is one of the most serious side effects of cancer chemotherapy. Current approaches to monitoring of chemotherapy‐induced cardiotoxicity (CIC) as well as model systems that develop in vivo or in vitro CIC platforms fail to notice early signs of CIC. Moreover, breast cancer (BC) patients with preexisting cardiac dysfunctions may lead to different incident levels of CIC. Here, a model is presented for investigating CIC where not only induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)‐derived cardiac tissues are interacted with BC tissues on a dual‐organ platform, but electrochemical immuno‐aptasensors can also monitor cell‐secreted multiple biomarkers. Fibrotic stages of iPSC‐derived cardiac tissues are promoted with a supplement of transforming growth factor‐β 1 to assess the differential functionality in healthy and fibrotic cardiac tissues after treatment with doxorubicin (DOX). The production trend of biomarkers evaluated by using the immuno‐aptasensors well‐matches the outcomes from conventional enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, demonstrating the accuracy of the authors’ sensing platform with much higher sensitivity and lower detection limits for early monitoring of CIC and BC progression. Furthermore, the versatility of this platform is demonstrated by applying a nanoparticle‐based DOX‐delivery system. The proposed platform would potentially help allow early detection and prediction of CIC in individual patients in the future.