Multifunctional wearable electronics with superior stretching, self-healing, recycling and reconfiguring capabilities

Wearable electronics can be integrated with the human body for monitoring physical activities and health conditions, for human-computer interfaces, and for virtual/augmented reality. We here report a multifunctional wearable electronic system that combines advances in materials, chemistry and mechanics to enable superior stretchability, self-healability, recyclability and reconfigurability. This electronic system heterogeneously integrates rigid, soft and liquid materials through a low-cost and scalable fabrication method. Multifunctional wearable electronic devices that can sense electrocardiograph (ECG), temperature, motion, strain and acoustic signals are demonstrated. A high-performance wearable thermoelectric generator (TEG) that can convert otherwise wasted body heat into electric power will also be discussed. The properties reported in these wearable electronic systems provide an approach to address sustainability and environment issues associated with mass production and use of electronics.