The Functional Materials and Devices Laboratory (FMDL) is dedicated to develop functional materials enabled products through the design, manufacturing and integration of both functional materials and traditional materials, with capabilities for functional and length-scale integration to generate hierarchical structures and system for existing and emerging application areas ranging from biotechnology and medical products to structural health monitoring (SHM) and agricultural applications.
CURRENT RESEARCH AREAS
Biomimetic devices for physiological interfacing
In this project, we are developing a collection of unique methods for enabling biomimetic micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) to address the biological, chemical and mechanical properties of physiological interfaces. Our recent development of an extracellular matrix (ECM)-based neural interface was featured in Microsystem and Nanoengineering.
Wearable electronics for biosensing and drug delivery
We are exploring various fabrication and device design ideas for wearable electronics. Examples include the development of a flexible biosensor utilizing a label-free approach for sample-to-answer analysis, fully biodegradable wireless pressure sensors that degrade completely when no longer needed, and a drug delivery system that can be integrated within flexible substrate.
EMBEDDED sensors for structural health monitoring
In this project, we are developing untraditional microsensors that can be embedded inside structural materials. We are developing both wireless sensors and wired sensors, with the end goal of enabling in-situ monitoring of structural health conditions with high temporal density for long periods of time.
Biosensors for agricultural and environmental monitoring
The complexity of current agricultural pathogen detection techniques has significantly hampered the ability to prevent biological contaminations in the flied. Our wireless biosensors and systems allow real-time detection of the existence of pathogen contaminations, therefore, enabling early detection and prevention of harmful diseases in the agricultural crops