Biodegradable Shape-Memory Ionogels as Green and Adaptive Wearable Electronics Toward Physical Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation is necessary for the recovery of patients with paralysis caused by stroke and muscle atrophy. Wearable electronics can provide feedback on physical training and facilitate healthcare. However, most existing wearable electronics are difficult to maintain a conformal skin-device interface. Additionally, the use of non-degradable electronic materials is associated with environmental risks. Herein, ionogels with biodegradation and shape-memory properties as eco-friendly and geometry-adaptive wearable electronics for rehabilitation are proposed. The biodegradation is enabled by incorporating polycaprolactone segments into the ionogel matrix. Moreover, the ionogel-based wearable electronics can be conformal to certain joints by shape programming, and provide stable and reproducible real-time signals reflecting joint movements during long-term rehabilitation training assisted by a robotic glove, facilitating carers to assess rehabilitation efficacy and choose an appropriate scheme. This study demonstrates the potential of biodegradable shape-memory ionogels as green and adaptive wearable electronics for robot-assisted rehabilitation.