Organ conformal electronics for cardiac therapeutics

Conformal electronics are stretchable, flexible electronic devices that can diagnose and treat tissue functions with high spatiotemporal resolution. These devices are comprised of a network of sensors and actuators, which include electrodes, photodiodes, thermocouples, LEDs, pressure transducers, and photovoltaic devices. Conformal electronics can conform to the epicardium or endocardium to multiparametrically monitor and correct cardiac tissue function. Currently in the clinic, many catheter-based technologies and implantable mechanical and electrotherapeutic devices are employed for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias and heart failure. Conformal electronics offers improved systems for the monitoring and delivery of therapy for cardiac diseases, including piezoelectric energy harvesting and storage systems, 3D multifunctional integumentary membranes, multifunctional balloon catheters, ultrathin injectable multimodal sensors, capacitively-coupled flexible sensing systems, and soft robotic sleeves for mechanical support. Conformal electronics will enable a new generation of devices to transform the current paradigm of cardiac diagnosis and therapy.