Development of nanowires-PDMS dry electrode sensors for ambulatory ECG monitoring device

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Flexible wearable sensors have found increasing application in many situations, especially in biomedicalengineering and health care. Recent research has presented methods for fabricating flexible, stretchable, andconductive sensors using silver nanowires embedded in a flexible silicon elastomer (typicallypolydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)). In such a way, PDMS and nanowires have great potential for developingwearable sensors, based on capacitance or resistance changes, which can be used to many applications, such as,dry electrodes for ECG (electrocardiograph). However, in-depth understanding of the correlation betweenfabrication process and mechanical and electrical properties of the formed flexible sensor, such as, surfaceadhesion, stiffness, sensitivity, impedance, still need to be discovered before this technology can be used morewidely.In this project, we will investigate how the fabrication parameters affect the properties (mechanical andelectrical) and desired sensing performance of formed PDMS and nanowire electrodes, as wearable sensors.Comprehensive understanding obtained from this project will enable the creation of dry electrodes for ECGapplication, which could resolve the current limitations such as high skin-electrode impedance and artifactscaused by relative skin-electrode motion. Consequently it becomes an alternative for current wet electrodes, thestandard for capturing physiological electrical signals in clinical use. Such wet electrodes are silver-silverchloride (Ag-AgCl) based and require conductive gel, which introduce patient discomfort and are unsuitablefor regular long-term use.Success of this project will provide comprehensive understanding of the correlation between fabricationparameters and properties and the performance of PDMS and nanowire sensors, and pave the way for ourindustrial partner to produce desirable dry electrodes for ECG, which will potentially improve health carequality and reduce cost for Canadians.