Wearable ultrasound technology

Sheng Xu

Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine and, by courtesy, of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University

Abstract: The use of wearable electronic devices that can acquire vital signs from the human body noninvasively and continuously is a significant trend for healthcare. The combination of materials design and advanced microfabrication techniques enables the integration of various components and devices onto a wearable platform, resulting in functional systems with minimal limitations on the human body. Physiological signals from deep tissues are particularly valuable as they have a stronger and faster correlation with the internal events within the body compared to signals obtained from the surface of the skin. In this presentation, I will demonstrate a soft ultrasonic technology that can noninvasively and continuously acquire dynamic information about deep tissues and central organs. I will also showcase examples of this technology’s use in recording blood pressure and flow waveforms in central vessels, monitoring cardiac chamber activities, and measuring core body temperatures. The soft ultrasonic technology presented represents a platform with vast potential for applications in consumer electronics, defense medicine, and clinical practices.

Bio: Dr. Sheng Xu is a tenured professor and the inaugural Director of Emerging Technologies in the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine at Stanford University, with a courtesy appointment in Electrical Engineering. He earned his B.S. degree in Chemistry from Peking University and his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Subsequently, he pursued postdoctoral studies at the Materials Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research group is interested in developing new materials and fabrication methods for soft electronics. His research has been presented to the United States Congress as a testimony to the importance and impact of NIH funding.