Low-frequency ionic-electronic coupling for energy-efficient noise-resilient wireless bioelectronics
Wireless bioelectronics demand transduction strategies that are simultaneously sensitive, noise-resilient, and biologically safe. Conventional wireless sensors typically rely on dielectric capacitors with inherently low capacitance, necessitating operation at MHz frequencies. Such high-frequency coupling often introduces electromagnetic interference, tissue heating, and degraded signal fidelity in biological environments. Here we present a wireless low-frequency electrochemical sensing (WiLECS) platform that couples ionic dynamics with low-frequency LC resonant circuits. The device combines a biocompatible ion gel, composed of a choline-malate ionic liquid embedded in a chitosan matrix with functionalized Au nanoparticles, with a miniaturized LC antenna. Unlike conventional capacitive sensors, WiLECS employs piezo-driven ion redistribution to modulate the dielectric environment of the circuit, enabling sustainable wireless transduction below 1 MHz with high sensitivity and reliability. This approach directly bridges ionic dynamics and electronic resonance, allowing mechanical stimuli to be transduced into biologically safe low-frequency electronic signals. As proof of concept, we demonstrate real-time wireless blood-pressure monitoring in artificial arteries with atherosclerotic plaque, showing resolution of subtle pressure variations under clinically relevant conditions.
Authors
- Haerim Kim (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4156-3988)
- Jong Hwi Kim
- Jaewon Rhee (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5186-5395)
- Ji Hong Kim (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7454-1350)
- Hanbin Choi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-7561-1128)
- Joo Sung Kim
- Yoseph Park
- So Young Kim
- Seungyoung Ahn
- Won Hyuk Choi
- Do Hwan Kim
Institutions
- Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KR)
- Chungbuk National University (KR)
- Samsung (South Korea) (KR)
- RIKEN Advanced Science Institute (JP)
- Hanyang University (KR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2026-03-11
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-70331-4
- Primary Topic
- Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Research Foundation
- National Research Foundation of Korea
- Iran Telecommunication Research Center
- Ministry of Science and ICT, South Korea
- Institute for Information and Communications Technology Promotion