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Wang et al. Soft Sci 2024;4:41 Soft Science
DOI: 10.20517/ss.2024.53

Review Article Open Access

Micro-cylindrical/fibric electronic devices: materials,

fabrication, health and environmental monitoring

1,2
1,2
1,2
Hongyang Wang 1,2,# , Hao Wu 1,2,# , Dong Ye 1,2,* , Chenyang Zhao , Qingshuang Wu , Sen Wang , Zhiwei
1,2
1,2
1,2
Zhang , Mingtao Zeng , Hanghang Wei , YongAn Huang 1,2,*
1
State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing Equipment and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology,
Wuhan 430074, Hubei, China.
2
Flexible Electronics Research Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, China.
#
Authors contributed equally.
* Correspondence to: Prof. YongAn Huang, Dr. Dong Ye, State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing Equipment and
Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 1037 Luoyu Street, Hongshan District, Wuhan 430074, Hubei,
China. E-mail: yahuang@hust.edu.cn; yedong@hust.edu.cn
How to cite this article: Wang H, Wu H, Ye D, Zhao C, Wu Q, Wang S, Zhang Z, Zeng M, Wei H, Huang Y. Micro-
cylindrical/fibric electronic devices: materials, fabrication, health and environmental monitoring. Soft Sci 2024;4:41. https://dx.
doi.org/10.20517/ss.2024.53
Received: 21 Oct 2024 First Decision: 6 Nov 2024 Revised: 19 Nov 2024 Accepted: 22 Nov 2024 Published: 29 Nov 2024

Academic Editor: Seung Hwan Ko Copy Editor: Pei-Yun Wang Production Editor: Pei-Yun Wang

Abstract
Micro-cylindrical electronic devices represent a rapidly emerging class of electronics distinguished by their unique
geometries and superior mechanical properties. These features enable a broad range of applications across fields
such as wearable fibric devices, surgical robotics, and implantable medical devices. The choice of micro-cylindrical
substrate materials is crucial in determining device performance, as their high curvature and excellent flexibility
offer an ideal foundation for functional integration. This paper systematically reviews a wide array of substrate
materials suitable for micro-cylindrical electronic devices, analyzing their differences and application potential in
terms of mechanical stability, biocompatibility, and processability. The unique requirements of micro-cylindrical
devices, specifically their flexibility, integrative capabilities, and lightweight nature, challenge conventional planar
fabrication processes, which often fall short of meeting these demands. Thus, we further examine custom
fabrication techniques tailored for micro-cylindrical electronics, assessing advantages, limitations, and specific
applications of each approach. Additionally, we analyze the current application requirements and developmental
progress of these devices across multiple fields. This review also outlines future directions in this field, focusing on
enhancing fabrication precision, improving material compatibility and biocompatibility, and advancing integration
and intelligent functionalities. With a comprehensive overview, this review aims to provide a valuable reference for

© The Author(s) 2024. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, sharing,
adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, for any purpose, even commercially, as
long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and
indicate if changes were made.

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