Sensors under pressure

What do continuous blood pressure monitoring and composite material monitoring have in common? Both could benefit from the work of Sampada Bodkhe.

Bodkhe, a researcher and professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Polytechnique Montréal, fabricates self-powered sensors using 3D printers. These sensors recharge when their structure is deformed by slight pressure, thereby generating electricity.

Versatile and economical, the sensors have multiple applications. When printed directly onto a part, they can detect defects or damage in composite materials. These materials break instead of deforming, which can have disastrous consequences — hence the importance of continuous monitoring. Unlike the tools currently in use, these self-powered sensors mould perfectly to the shape of the part (an airplane wing, for example) and have no batteries (which would need to be replaced periodically).

Sampada Bodkhe and her team explored various printing parameters to improve the sensitivity of the sensors and to be able to measure pressure variations from multiple directions.

The scientists have also developed blood pressure sensors. Instead of periodically checking their blood pressure on a device at the pharmacy or at home, users could wear a simple wristband that is inexpensive to print and can be customized to fit each individual. Such continuous monitoring would allow for a quick response in the event of a significant change in blood pressure, helping to prevent strokes.

Given these encouraging results, manufacturers and healthcare institutions have already shown interest. The researcher now wants to explore the possibility of integrating a battery that would store the energy generated by pressure variations and refine the design of the blood pressure sensor to better meet demand.

References :

• Morali, A., Mandal, A., Skorobogatiy, M., et Bodkhe, S. (2023). Unleashing the piezoelectric potential of PVDF: a study on phase transformation from gamma (g) to beta (b) phase through thermal contact poling, RSC Advances, 13, 3123. https://doi.org/10.1039/d3ra05068h

• Mandal, A., Morali, A., Skorobogatiy, M., et Bodkhe, S. (2024). 3D Printing of Polyvinylidene Fluoride-Based Piezoelectric Sensors for Non-invasive Continuous Blood Pressure Monitoring, Advanced Engineering Materials 26(1), 2301292. https://doi.org/10.1002/adem.202301292