Flexible, Wearable, and Stretchable Electronics

Recent advances in soft materials, nanoengineering, and system integration technology offer the development of various types of flexible and stretchable electronics for human health monitoring, wearable electronics, and human-machine interfaces. Soft and hybrid materials have driven a new class of a highly deformable, wearable electronics that can replace the conventional, rigid electronics. Downscaling the dimensions of conductive and functional materials to nanometer range provides enhanced mechanical flexibility, which can accommodate applied strain in wearable applications. Furthermore, the combination of open-mesh design and hybrid material integration results in a good compromise between the stress distribution and ease of device layout even under the extreme deformations without mechanical fracture and electrical degradation of the electronics. This chapter describes a comprehensive review of key materials, system integration, device designs, and various wearable applications of flexible and stretchable electronics.