Conformal bioelectronic interfaces for enhanced human–machine interaction: Prof. CHEN Xiaodong of NTU delivers PAIR Distinguished Lecture

Prof. CHEN Xiaodong of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore delivered a PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “Conformal Bioelectronic Interface” on 24 November 2025 at PolyU.  The event attracted over 80 in-person participants and an online audience of over 15,300 across various social media platforms.

Prof. Chen commenced his presentation by highlighting the paradigm shift in human-machine interface.  He observed that such interaction is moving beyond graphical interfaces towards natural language, evolving into multimodal experiences that engage all five senses for truly immersive human-digital interaction. 

He explained that electrode deformation and skin-stretch can significantly affect electrode-tissue impedance, resulting in signal drift and noise during bioelectronic monitoring.  As the skin generates bioelectric signals, stretching disrupts charge distribution at the electrode interface, temporarily altering skin potential.  Flexible, skin-mounted sensors are particularly sensitive to mechanical deformation—stretching, bending or twisting can alter device geometry and electrical properties, leading to signal drift, motion artefacts and waveform distortion.  Signal drift occurs as a sensor’s baseline readings deviate from its true original values, undermining the reliability of long-term monitoring.  Motion artefacts, caused by relative movement between the device and the skin, produce transient spikes and increased noise that may have obscure physiological signals.  Signal distortion, resulting from non-linear strain effects and anisotropic deformation, alters waveform shapes and reduces the accuracy of data interpretation and machine learning models.

Prof. Chen also suggested that materials such as water-responsive supercontractile polymer (WRAP) films demonstrate supercontraction when exposed to moisture, driven by molecular changes and water uptake, enabling electrodes to conformally wrap around tissues. Inspired by the supercontraction of spider silk, this biomimetic technology allows for easy placement of sensors on a surface, followed by tight, conformal contact upon activation.  Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) utilises modalities such as evoked potentials, electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) to assess the integrity of a patient’s nervous system during surgery, providing real-time feedback for enhancing procedural safety and preventing neurological injury.  Conformal bioelectronic interfaces offer the promise of seamless integration with biological systems; however, challenges remain in maintaining signal fidelity under deformation to ensure reliable human-machine interaction.

Following the presentation was a lively question-and-answer session moderated by Prof. ZHENG Zijian, Associate Director of Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR) and Chair Professor of Soft Materials and Devices.  Both the on-site and online audiences engaged in an in-depth discussion with Prof. Chen.

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