Ambipolar charge-transfer graphene plasmonic cavities.

Plasmon polaritons in van der Waals materials hold promise for various photonics applications. The deterministic imprinting of spatial patterns of high carrier density in plasmonic cavities and nanoscale circuitry can enable the realization of advanced nonlinear nanophotonic and strong light-matter interaction platforms. Here we demonstrate an oxidation-activated charge transfer strategy to program ambipolar low-loss graphene plasmonic structures.

Wireless, Soft Sensors of Skin Hydration with Designs Optimized for Rapid, Accurate Diagnostics of Dermatological Health.

Accurate measurements of skin hydration are of great interest to dermatological science and clinical practice. This parameter serves as a relevant surrogate of skin barrier function, a key representative benchmark for overall skin health. The skin hydration sensor (SHS) is a soft, skin-interfaced wireless system that exploits a thermal measurement method, as an alternative to conventional impedance-based hand-held probes.

Materials Chemistry of Neural Interface Technologies and Recent Advances in Three-Dimensional Systems.

Advances in materials chemistry and engineering serve as the basis for multifunctional neural interfaces that span length scales from individual neurons to neural networks, neural tissues, and complete neural systems. Such technologies exploit electrical, electrochemical, optical, and/or pharmacological modalities in sensing and neuromodulation for fundamental studies in neuroscience research, with additional potential to serve as routes for monitoring and treating neurodegenerative diseases and for rehabilitating patients. This review summarizes the essential role of chemistry in this field of research, with an emphasis on recently published results and developing trends.

Three dimensional bioelectronic interfaces to small-scale biological systems.

Recent advances in bio-interface technologies establish a rich range of electronic, optoelectronic, thermal, and chemical options for probing and modulating the behaviors of small-scale three dimensional (3D) biological constructs (e.g. organoids, spheroids, and assembloids).

Transparent, Compliant 3D Mesostructures for Precise Evaluation of Mechanical Characteristics of Organoids.

Recently developed methods for transforming 2D patterns of thin-film materials into 3D mesostructures create many interesting opportunities in microsystems design. A growing area of interest is in multifunctional thermal, electrical, chemical, and optical interfaces to biological tissues, particularly 3D multicellular, millimeter-scale constructs, such as spheroids, assembloids, and organoids. Herein, examples of 3D mechanical interfaces are presented, in which thin ribbons of parylene-C form the basis of transparent, highly compliant frameworks that can be reversibly opened and closed to capture, envelop, and mechanically restrain fragile 3D tissues in a gentle, nondestructive manner, for precise measurements of viscoelastic properties using techniques in nanoindentation.

Three-dimensional, multifunctional neural interfaces for cortical spheroids and engineered assembloids.

Three-dimensional (3D), submillimeter-scale constructs of neural cells, known as cortical spheroids, are of rapidly growing importance in biological research because these systems reproduce complex features of the brain in vitro. Despite their great potential for studies of neurodevelopment and neurological disease modeling, 3D living objects cannot be studied easily using conventional approaches to neuromodulation, sensing, and manipulation. Here, we introduce classes of microfabricated 3D frameworks as compliant, multifunctional neural interfaces to spheroids and to assembloids.

Wireless, skin-interfaced sensors for compression therapy.

Therapeutic compression garments (TCGs) are key tools for the management of a wide range of vascular lower extremity conditions. Proper use of TCGs involves application of a minimum and consistent pressure across the lower extremities for extended periods of time. Slight changes in the characteristics of the fabric and the mechanical properties of the tissues lead to requirements for frequent measurements and corresponding adjustments of the applied pressure.