New biomedical pressure sensors developed

A team of researchers at the University of California, Davis, led by Tingeui Pan, a professor of biomedical engineering, have developed a new type of  transparent, flexible pressure sensor that can be used in medical applications. It relies on a drop of liquid, which is put in a flexible sandwich of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). When the sensor is pressed down, the sensing droplet spreads over conductive electrodes. “There’s a huge need for flexible sensors in biosensing,” Pan said. The new sensor was successfully tested by the research team in measuring the pulse in the human neck. Other potential uses include in ‘smart gloves,’ through which doctors could better measure tissue firmness and detect tumors, and ‘smart contact lenses,’ which could measure intraocular pressure without adverse effects on vision.