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Bioelectronics – Technology Interfaces with the Human Body | The Royal Society

The Royal Society
The Royal Society•May 12, 2026

Why It Matters

Skin‑like bioelectronics promise real‑time, painless health data, reducing hospital stays and expanding access to advanced diagnostics worldwide.

Key Takeaways

  • •Flexible silicon devices enable skin‑like, stretchable medical sensors.
  • •Bioelectronics translate lab prototypes into FDA‑approved patient care tools.
  • •Thin‑film silicon ribbons achieve mechanical softness without sacrificing performance.
  • •Epidermal electronics provide continuous, wireless monitoring for military and civilians.
  • •Interdisciplinary collaboration accelerates bio‑device commercialization and global health impact.

Summary

Professor John Rogers, winner of the 2026 Baker Medal, delivered a Royal Society lecture titled “Bioelectronics – technology interfaces with the human body,” outlining the field’s evolution from early microscopy philanthropy to modern wearable medical devices.

Rogers described how ultra‑thin silicon ribbons and polymer composites create skin‑like, stretchable electronics that match the mechanical properties of soft tissue. By etching silicon to nanometer thickness and embedding it in wavy, elastomeric structures, the devices retain high‑performance semiconductor function while becoming flexible and biocompatible.

He cited concrete examples: FDA‑ and CE‑approved epidermal patches for cardiac mapping, temporary pacemakers that dissolve after healing, and battlefield ICU‑grade monitors designed as tattoo‑like sensors for soldiers. The lecture also revisited the historical anecdote about Henry Baker’s £100 bequest, underscoring the long‑term value of scientific philanthropy.

These advances signal a shift toward continuous, non‑invasive health monitoring, opening new markets in consumer wearables, remote patient care, and low‑resource settings. The interdisciplinary approach—combining materials science, electrical engineering, and clinical collaboration—accelerates translation from lab prototypes to regulated medical products.

Original Description

The Bakerian Medal and Lecture 2026 is awarded to Professor John Rogers FRS for foundational scientific and engineering contributions to the field of bioelectronics.
In his lecture, Professor Rogers will cover advanced electronic/optoelectronic technologies designed to allow stable, intimate integration with living organisms will accelerate progress in biomedical research; they will also serve as the foundations for new approaches in monitoring and treating diseases. Specifically, capabilities for injecting miniaturized, biocompatible electronic systems and other components into soft tissues or for softly laminating them onto the surfaces of vital organs will create unique and important opportunities in tracking and manipulating biological activity.
This presentation describes the core concepts in electrical engineering, materials science and system design that underpin these types of technologies, including bioresorbable, or ‘transient’, devices engineered to disappear into the body on timescales matched to natural processes. The content also includes examples of successful translation out of an academic setting and into medical deployments with regulatory approval -- at a global scale, including resource constrained locations in lower and middle income countries. Examples range from skin-like devices for health monitoring to bioelectronic ‘medicines’ for neuroregeneration and temporary cardiac pacing.
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