Jianan Niu, Xue Bai, Jiangwen Wang, Yingyi Chen, Bingqi Zhao, Wei Sha, Yong Long, Zhonglin Wang, Weiguo Hu
First published: 16 September 2024
DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202411916
Abstract
Visualization is a cornerstone in human–computer interaction, evolving from large screens to mobile devices and now to wearable display technology. However, conventional batteries and displays lack the softness and stretchability inherent to human skin. Here, a fully flexible, all‐in‐one electronic display skin by integrating a flexible microLED display, a stretchable circuit, and a Zn|PAM|V2O5 hydrogel battery pack is developed. Vapor‐phase bulk transfer is used to efficiently and accurately transfer 10 000 microLEDs onto a flexible substrate, ensuring high flexibility and ultra‐thin (240 µm). The flexible hydrogel battery pack provides sustainable energy, with a high specific capacity of 331.3 mAh g−1. Additionally, a transparent stretchable circuit board (maximum stretch 40%) is made by 3D printing technology. The skin display exhibited exceptional stretchability and biocompatibility, conforming to movements while maintaining high‐resolution dynamic visual outputs. These innovations pave the way for advanced skin‐implanted displays, promising transformative applications in information interaction, healthcare, and artificial intelligence.
Introduction to Visual Interaction Technology
Visual interaction is the most intuitive and effective way for humans to perceive information. Emerging interaction technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and virtual/augmented reality, greatly expand human perception and drive the integration of the virtual and physical worlds.
The Importance of Biocompatibility
At the same time, biological safety is fundamental to deep human-machine interaction. Synthetic bioelectronic systems and implantable flexible electronics offer more convenient and intelligent health management solutions for life sciences.
Multi-Modal Interaction for Revolutionary Innovations
Multi-modal interaction between visuals and bioelectronics will provide humans with super perception and bring revolutionary innovations and applications to various fields, including communications, healthcare, and smart industries. Thus, developing electronic skin display devices with high flexibility and biocompatibility has become a pressing research topic.
Recent Research Breakthroughs
In a recent study, researchers addressed the challenge of achieving fully flexible integration of display and power supply terminals with human skin. They also solved the issues of mass transfer of MicroLEDs (Micro Light Emitting Diodes) and the stretchability of circuits, ultimately realizing a fully flexible and integrated electronic skin display with biological safety.
The related paper titled “Fully Flexible All-in-One Electronic Display Skin with Seamless Integration of MicroLED and Hydrogel Battery” was published in Advanced Functional Materials. The first authors, Niu Jianan and Bai Xue, collaborated with Corresponding Author Hu Weiguo from the Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Personal Inspiration Behind the Innovation
For Niu Jianan, the interplay of light and shadow is like a magic that manipulates vision, a fascination he developed in childhood. He often pondered whether a type of “electronic skin” could be created in the future—one that could freely change color and properties according to needs and provide super sensory experiences. Growing up, he finally had the opportunity to realize this dream.
Developing a Flexible Electronic Skin Display
Recently, he and his team set the goal of developing a fully flexible and biocompatible electronic skin display device. This device not only meets the needs for visual information interaction but can also tightly adhere to the skin while ensuring biological safety. After determining this direction, they focused on the flexible technology paths for MicroLED displays, circuits, and batteries, ultimately designing a flexible integrated system.
Innovations in Display Technology
In the display section, they employed their proprietary vapor transfer method to efficiently transfer 10,000 MicroLED chips onto a flexible substrate, achieving ultra-thin and high-resolution display effects.
For the circuits, they utilized 3D printing technology to create transparent and highly stretchable flexible circuits, maintaining stable electrical performance even when bent or stretched.
Biocompatible Hydrogel Batteries
They chose biocompatible hydrogel as the battery material, ensuring excellent electrical output performance and flexibility. Thus, the research team successfully integrated these key components into a complete system, developing a fully flexible all-in-one electronic skin display.
Performance Testing of the Integrated System
Subsequently, they conducted comprehensive testing and evaluation of each component and the integrated system. The MicroLED display is only one-tenth the thickness of the dermis layer and exhibits outstanding luminous performance.
The conductivity of the stretchable circuit board reaches 8.5×10⁶ S/m, with a transmittance greater than 94%, demonstrating excellent mechanical durability.
The hydrogel battery has a maximum specific capacity of 331.3 mAh/g and maintains stable output even in a bent state.
The integrated fully flexible display system shows excellent optoelectronic performance and mechanical stability, adhering closely to the skin.
Future Applications of the Technology
Even under cyclic bending, it maintains stable optoelectronic connectivity, with temperatures below human body temperature during charge and discharge, demonstrating superior biological safety and application prospects.
If further developed, this technology could see widespread application in various fields related to visual interaction in the coming years.
1. Innovations in Information Electronics
In the information electronics field, fully flexible all-in-one electronic skin displays will deeply integrate inorganic and organic materials, replacing existing rigid display solutions with their lightweight and foldable characteristics. Particularly in smart information terminals, flexible display technology can enhance device performance and provide more personalized, flexible interaction experiences.
2. Advancements in AR/VR
Augmented reality/virtual reality serves as an entry point for humans into the future virtual world. Ultra-flexible, lightweight, and efficient MicroLED displays not only reduce device weight but also enhance visual quality and battery life, creating smarter and more immersive human-virtual environment interaction scenarios, and promoting developments in entertainment, education, and industrial simulation.
3. Medical Applications
In healthcare, electronic skin display systems can deeply integrate with biological systems. Implantable bioelectronic displays can compensate for sensory loss in individuals with disabilities, providing intelligent visual assistance and offering super sensory virtual interaction for healthy individuals.
4. Real-time Monitoring Capabilities
Additionally, intelligent patches can be integrated into the system to monitor physiological signals in real-time, such as heart rate, body temperature, and blood pressure.
Future Research Directions
As technology continues to advance, fields like flexible smart terminals, human-machine virtual interaction, multi-modal bioelectronics, and industrial smart monitoring will benefit from this fully flexible all-in-one display technology, providing more possibilities for future intelligent living.
In upcoming research, the team plans to further enhance the system’s flexibility and introduce more biocompatible materials for precise and safe integration with skin, enabling implantable applications.
Next Steps for Integration
They also plan to enhance integration by incorporating temperature and heart rate sensors into the existing flexible display system, allowing for real-time monitoring of physiological data, particularly beneficial for users with disabilities or chronic illnesses requiring long-term health management.
Finally, the team aims to combine this technology with virtual interaction systems, providing seamless connectivity between humans and the virtual world to truly realize an intelligent super sensory multi-modal system.
References：
1.Niu, J., Bai, X., Wang, J., Chen, Y., Zhao, B., Sha, W., … & Hu, W. (2024). Fully Flexible All‐in‐One Electronic Display Skin with Seamless Integration of MicroLED and Hydrogel Battery.Advanced Functional Materials, 2411916.
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