Wireless Power and Data Transfer Technologies for Flexible Bionic and Bioelectronic Interfaces: Materials and Applications

Abstract

The next-generation bionics and, more specifically, wearable and implantable bioelectronics require wireless, battery-free, long-term operation and seamless bio-integration. Design considerations, materials choice, and implementation of efficient architectures have become crucial for the fabrication and deployment of wireless devices, especially if they are flexible or soft. Wireless power and data transfer represent key elements for the development of robust, efficient, and reliable systems for health monitoring, advanced disease diagnosis and treatment, personalized medicine. Here, the recent advances in materials and technologies used for wireless energy sourcing and telemetry in bio-integrated flexible bionic and bioelectronic systems are reviewed. The study tackles different challenges related to mechanical compliance, low thickness, small footprint, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and in vivo implementation. The work also delves into the main figures of merit that are mostly adopted to quantify the wireless power/data transfer performances. Lastly, the pivotal applications of wearable and implantable wireless bionics/bioelectronics are summarized, such as electrical stimulation/recording, real-time monitoring of physiological parameters, light delivery trough optical interfaces, electromechanical stimulation via ultrasounds, highlighting their potential for future implementation and the challenges related to their commercialization.