“Medical patients are often asked to wear devices to record electrocardiogram (ECG) data that can be used to diagnose an illness, monitor the progression of recovery or disease, and so on,” says Kirstie Queener, first author of a paper on the work published in Advanced Electronic Materials.

“However, this process can take hours—or even days—and the existing technology poses some challenges. For example, existing sensors must be held in place using an adhesive that can irritate patient skin. Existing technologies also require gel to be applied to the patient so the electrode can get a clear signal, and the signal degrades as the gel dries.