A Flexible, Stretchable and Highly Durable Ultrasound Patch for Dynamic Monitoring of Muscle Tissue

Muscle function monitoring and assessment play a crucial role in sports medicine, but traditional muscle monitoring methods have certain limitations. In this paper, we propose a flexible, stretchable, low-cost, and highly durable wearable ultrasound patch for real-time dynamic monitoring of muscle tissue. The device features an orthogonal cross-array arrangement of the transducer array, with an "island-bridge" layout for electrical connections. The single-layer serpentine traces endow the device with excellent flexibility, stretchability, and torsional capability, achieving a stretch rate of 30%, which allows the patch to closely conform to the surface of the skin. High-performance 1-3 composite ceramics are selected as the material for the ultrasound transducers, offering excellent electromechanical coupling and acoustic properties. The device is encapsulated and electrically isolated with low-modulus, highly elastic silicone resin elastomer. Studies show that the wearable flexible ultrasound patch can accurately and continuously monitor the forearm muscle dynamics using both A-mode and M-mode, demonstrating its broad application potential in muscle monitoring, human-machine interaction, and wearable devices.