Stretchable sensor array for respiratory monitoring

We present a novel stretchable sensor array to be used for triggering the artificial respiration of premature infants by measuring thorax deformations. Sensor arrays are fabricated on thin polyimide films with lithographic technologies and transferred into a stretchable format by femtosecond laser structuring and subsequent embedding in PDMS providing skin-like properties. For the first time signals from a stretchable sensor array are used to determine trigger points for respiration as well as for surface reconstruction. With these unique capabilities the sensor may in future be also used as an extended diagnostic tool taking artificial respiration to a next level.