Focused Session Invited Speakers

Biocompatible, biodegradable, and solid-state electrolyte-based organic electrochemical transistors are demonstrated. As the electrolyte is composed of all edible-level materials, which are levan polysaccharide and choline-based ionic liquid, the organic transistor fabricated on the electrolyte can be biocompatible and biodegrable. [1] Compared to the other ion gel-based electrolytes, it has superior electrical and mechanical properties, large specific capacitance (≈40 µF cm−2), non-volatility, flexibility, and high transparency. 

The development of artificial nerve systems capable of replicating the tactile perception abilities of human skin holds significant promise for the advancement of various applications in a hyperconnected society, including prosthetic devices, virtual reality interfaces, and smart sensors. Presently, such systems typically comprise a pressure sensor, memory unit, and signal processing circuitry, which collectively simulate the functionality of sensory neurons. 

The use of bioelectronic devices for acquiring biological information and delivering therapeutic interventions relies on direct contact with soft bio-tissues. To ensure high-quality signal transductions, the interfaces between bioelectronic devices and bio-tissues must have the highest contact area and long-term stability. 

 Bioelectronics research has reached a new level. The emerging of soft bioelectrochemical technologies further enabled a seamless interface between research tools with biological tissues, which permits the collection of high quality and more informative biochemical signals at its origin, even under prolonged uses and arbitrary motions. However, scalable manufacturing of soft bioelectronics, especially micro-scale bioelectronics, remains underdeveloped. In this talk, I will introduce materials, devices, and manufacturing principles of soft bioelectronics. I will prospect how it can enrich the toolbox of current biomedical technologies to promote translational biomedical innovations, from smart wearables, medical imaging, brain-inspired computing, to human-machine interfaces. 

Organic photodetectors (OPDs) are a promising alternative optical detecting technology to conventional wafer-based inorganic counterparts, because the optical and electric properties of the organic semiconductor materials can be tailored accordingly. They offer additional advantages such as having a solution-processable fabrication process, which also leads to significant cost benefits, thereby creating next-generation solution-processable, flexible, and low-cost photodetectors. In general, the spectral responses of the photodetectors are determined by the absorption of the active materials and optical profile in the devices. Single-band OPDs optimized for photodetection at specific spectral ranges have been reported. However, the reports on OPDs for multispectral detection are rather rare. It is a great challenge to achieve high-performance multispectral OPDs. 

The rise of Internet of Things (IoTs), with 30 billion devices to be installed by 2030, is underpinning disruptive technologies such as smart wearables, self-driving vehicles, industrial automation and digital health. Conventional IoT power sources are dominated by Li ion batteries, but one trillion IoT devices will consume 100,000 tonnes of lithium, and regular battery replacement for billions of IoT devices is economically unfeasible.