Research Project: Integrated electronic skin for prosthetics
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Contributors
Funders
ID
TB.00473
Authors
Beker, Levent
Faculty Member
Publications
Passive ultrasonic communication link for deep-tissue sensor implants
(Cell Press, 2025) Beker, Levent; Yener, Umut Can; Toymus, Alp Timucin; Esat, Kivanc; Alem, Mehdi; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Yes; College of Engineering
Wireless communication is critical for non-invasive in situ monitoring of vital signs in deep tissues. Electromagnetic-wave-based communication methods suffer from high attenuation and limited penetration in biological tissues. Wireless ultrasonic links can solve these shortcomings but typically require highly customized and complex designs for the implant electronics or rely on physical changes in implanted metamaterials. Here, we report a wireless, passive, frequency-based, and electronics-free ultrasonic communication method for deep-tissue sensor implants. The device consists of a piezoelectric crystal used as the ultrasonic antenna with a simplified design and can be integrated with any capacitive implantable sensor. We demonstrate the applicability of the passive communication method using a commercial pressure sensor at a depth of 5 cm, revealing a sensitivity of 5.83 pF/kPa below 20 kPa. © 2025 The Author(s)
Low-cost microfluidic testbed for molecular communications with integrated hydrodynamic gating and screen-printed sensors
(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2025) Albay, Maide Miray; Akyol, Eren; Mirlou, Fariborz; Beker, Levent; Kuşcu, Murat; Mirlou, Fariborz; Albay, Maide Miray; Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering; Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Yes; GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING; College of Engineering; Akyol, Eren
Molecular Communications (MC), transferring information via chemical signals, holds promise for transformative healthcare applications within the Internet of Bio-Nano Things (IoBNT) framework. Despite promising advances toward practical MC systems, progress has been constrained by experimental testbeds that are costly, difficult to customize, and require labor-intensive fabrication. Here, we address these challenges by introducing a low-cost ( ∼$1 per unit), rapidly fabricated (<1 hour), and highly customizable microfluidic testbed that integrates a cross-shaped, hydrodynamic gating-based microfluidic transmitter, and a screen-printed potentiometric sensor-based receiver. This platform enables precise spatiotemporal control over chemical signals and supports reconfigurable channel architectures along with on-demand sensor functionalization. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate a pH-based MC system combining a polyaniline (PANI)-functionalized screen printed sensor for real-time pH signal detection with a programmable hydrodynamic gating architecture, patterned in a double-sided adhesive tape, as the transmitter. By dynamically mixing phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) with an acidic solution (pH 3), the testbed reliably generates pH-encoded pulses. Experimental results confirm robust control over pulse amplitude and pulse width, enabling the simulation of end-to-end MC scenarios with 4-ary concentration shift keying (CSK) modulation. By combining affordability and rapid prototyping without compromising customizability, this platform is poised to accelerate the translation of MC concepts into practical IoBNT applications.
Biodegradable piezoelectric polymers: recent advancements in materials and applications
(Wiley, 2023) Ali, Mohsin; Bathaei, Mohammad Javad; İstif, Emin; Beker, Levent; Hosseinikarimi, Nasır Seyed; Department of Mechanical Engineering; KUTTAM (Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine); Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering; Yes; College of Engineering; GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING; Research Center
Recent materials, microfabrication, and biotechnology improvements have introduced numerous exciting bioelectronic devices based on piezoelectric materials. There is an intriguing evolution from conventional unrecyclable materials to biodegradable, green, and biocompatible functional materials. As a fundamental electromechanical coupling material in numerous applications, novel piezoelectric materials with a feature of degradability and desired electrical and mechanical properties are being developed for future wearable and implantable bioelectronics. These bioelectronics can be easily integrated with biological systems for applications, including sensing physiological signals, diagnosing medical problems, opening the blood-brain barrier, and stimulating healing or tissue growth. Therefore, the generation of piezoelectricity from natural and synthetic bioresorbable polymers has drawn great attention in the research field. Herein, the significant and recent advancements in biodegradable piezoelectric materials, including natural and synthetic polymers, their principles, advanced applications, and challenges for medical uses, are reviewed thoroughly. The degradation methods of these piezoelectric materials through in vitro and in vivo studies are also investigated. These improvements in biodegradable piezoelectric materials and microsystems could enable new applications in the biomedical field. In the end, potential research opportunities regarding the practical applications are pointed out that might be significant for new materials research.
Powering smart contact lenses for continuous health monitoring: Recent advancements and future challenges
(Elsevier, 2022) Beker, Levent; İstif, Emin; Mirlou, Fariborz; Mirzajani, Hadi; Singh, Rahul; N/A; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering; KUTTAM (Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine); Yes; College of Engineering; Research Center
As the tear is noninvasively and continuously available, it has been turned into a convenient biological interface as a wearable medical device for out-of-hospital and self-monitoring applications. Recent progress in integrated circuits (ICs) and biosensors coupled with wireless data communication techniques have led to the implementation of smart contact lenses that can continuously sample tear fluid, analyze physiological conditions, and wirelessly transmit data to an electronic device such as smartphone, which can send data to relevant healthcare units. Continuous analyte monitoring is one of the significant characteristics of wearable biosensors. However, despite several advantages over other on-skin wearable medical devices, batteries cannot be incorporated on smart contact lenses for continuous electrical power supply due to the limited area. Herein, we review the progress of power delivery techniques of smart contact lenses for the first time. Different approaches, including wireless power transmission (WPT), biofuel cells, supercapacitors, flexible batteries, wired connections, and hybrid methods, are thoroughly discussed to understand the principles of self-sustainable contact lens biosensors comprehensively. Additionally, recent progress in contact lens biosensors is reviewed in detail, thereby providing the prospects for further developments of smart contact lenses as a common biosensing platform for various disease monitoring and diagnostic applications.
Near-infrared triggered degradation for transient electronics
(American Chemical Society, 2024) Ali, Mohsin; Beker, Levent; Morova, Yağız; Özüaçıksöz, Elif Yaren; İstif, Emin; KUYTAM (Koç University Surface Science and Technology Center); Department of Physics; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering; Yes; College of Sciences; College of Engineering; Research Center; GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING
Electronics that disintegrate after stable operation present exciting opportunities for niche medical implant and consumer electronics applications. The disintegration of these devices can be initiated due to their medium conditions or triggered by external stimuli, which enables on-demand transition. An external stimulation method that can penetrate deep inside the body could revolutionize the use of transient electronics as implantable medical devices (IMDs), eliminating the need for secondary surgery to remove the IMDs. We report near-infrared (NIR) light-triggered transition of metastable cyclic poly-(phthalaldehyde) (cPPA) polymers. The transition of the encapsulation layer is achieved through the conversion of NIR light to heat, facilitated by bioresorbable metals, such as molybdenum (Mo). We reported a rapid degradation of cPPA encapsulation layer about 1 min, and the rate of degradation can be controlled by laser power and exposure time. This study offers a new approach for light triggerable transient electronics for IMDs due to the deep penetration depth of NIR light through to organs and tissues.
