Medical Design Briefs - November 2024 - 34

Design Briefs
How Printed Electronics Are Transforming
Healthcare
By Dr. Klas-Moritz Kossel, Covestro
he healthcare industry is evolving
and facing two major challenges.
First, the rise of chronic diseases.
By 2050, chronic diseases such as cardiovascular
diseases, cancer, diabetes,
and respiratory illnesses could account
for 86 percent of the 90 million deaths
each year, according to the World Health
Organization (WHO) in its 2023 World
Health Statistics report. This increase is
due to factors such as an aging population,
lifestyle changes, and risk factors
like high blood pressure, high blood sugar,
and air pollution. Consequently, this
creates a second challenge: added strain
on healthcare resources. To address this,
WHO recommends tackling the root
causes of chronic diseases, promoting
healthier behaviors, and ensuring universal
access to healthcare resources.
New technologies offer solutions for
managing and preventing chronic diseases
by improving healthcare delivery
and patient self-management. Printed
electronics have revolutionized healthcare
innovation by enabling the printing
of electronic devices on various surfaces.
For medical device manufacturers, this
technology reduces costs, saves space, offers
design flexibility, and enables largescale
production. For instance, a wearable
patch for diabetes patients provides
real-time blood glucose monitoring. This
allows patients to manage their condition
continuously and proactively. The patch
also enables seamless data collection and
transmission, allowing healthcare providers
to monitor patients' health remotely
and intervene promptly when needed.
Printed electronics for healthcare applications,
such as wearable sensors or
smart wound dressing, are typically fabricated
using an advanced substrate film
solution such as thermoplastic polyurethane
(TPU). For skin-worn devices, the
T
following attributes are essential:
* Moves and stretches along with the skin.
* Remains on the body for an extended
period without damaging the skin.
* Ensures breathability and high wearable
comfort without limiting freedom
of movement.
34
Substrates like TPU and polycarbonate films play a pivotal role in advancing the capabilities of printable electronics.
A sample application utilizing Platilon® from Covestro with Henkel LOCITE ECI 1014 conductive silver ink.
High-Tech Materials for Healthcare
Applications
With decades of experience in
medical- grade materials, Covestro, for
example, offers multilayer TPU films
tailored for breathability, stretchability,
surface finish, and thickness. Designed
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for close contact and mimicking skin,
these TPU substrates are ideal for printing
electronics. These films excel in flexibility
and durability, while enhancing
design functionality and performance.
To achieve excellent comfort,
high-performing TPU films like CovesMedical
Design Briefs, November 2024

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Medical Design Briefs - November 2024

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