Shin-Etsu develops new material for wearable devices

TOKYO—Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd. has developed "electrophysiological" dry electrodes and high-elasticity wiring materials that can enable the design of "next-generation" wearable devices.

Featuring Shin-Etsu's silicone materials, the new electrodes enable remote measurement and transmission of a person's electrical bio signals, including vital signs such as heart rate and electrocardiogram (ECG) waveform, according to a Dec. 20 statement.

The silicone materials, Shin-Etsu said, are skin-friendly and very unlikely to cause irritation, particularly in the case of health patches that are worn 24 hours a day.

At the same time, being as thin as a human hair, the materials are very light and soft and cannot be felt on the skin.

In addition to its "superior biocompatibility," the company said, the material's water repellent property makes devices wearable in water, a feature that is not possible when using an existing gel-type electrode.

Furthermore, Shin-Etsu said it had developed "highly stretchable" materials for the wiring system of the wearable devices, meaning that they maintain conductivity after repeated stretching.

Health patches developed by the Dutch-based Holst Centre, using Shin-Etsu's technologies, are claimed to be able to provide bio signal data even after a week of continuous wearing.