Semiconductors and Microelectronics Technology Seminar - W. Hong Yeo, Ph.D., Monday, October 5th at 2pm in EEB 132

Speaker: W. Hong Yeo, Ph.D., G.P. "Bud" Peterson and Valerie H. Peterson Professor in Pediatric Research Director of NSF SUSMED, K-GTSEC, and WISH Center, Georgia Tech

Talk Title: Soft Intelligent Bioelectronics and In-Body Networks: Next-Generation Human-Machine Interfaces for Healthcare

Series: Semiconductors & Microelectronics Technology

Abstract: Conventional biomedical monitoring systems frequently suffer from physical bulkiness, poor interfacial contact, and motion artifacts that severely restrict patient comfort and data accuracy during long-term use. To overcome these critical limitations, soft intelligent bioelectronics and in-body networking present a transformative paradigm for continuous, real-time healthcare monitoring and advanced human-machine interfaces. This presentation highlights fundamental scientific breakthroughs in integrated nanomembrane biosensors and bioelectronics engineered for both wearable and implantable configurations. Dr. Yeo will detail innovative design strategies spanning materials engineering, state-of-the-art printing-based nanomanufacturing, and hybrid hard-soft system packaging. By optimizing deformable mechanics and bio-interfacial physics, these skin-conformal and biocompatible platforms deliver exceptional durability, signal-to-noise ratio, and operational stability in real-world settings. A key focus of the talk will be implementing intra-body communication frameworks that enable seamless data transfer between wearable sensors and deep-tissue implants without relying on power-hungry traditional wireless protocols. Supported by extensive in vitro and in vivo validation, the talk will showcase practical applications in continuous sleep diagnostics, quantitative disease monitoring, and closed-loop connected therapeutics. Dr. Yeo will conclude by sharing key insights into the future trajectory of soft bioelectronics, addressing translational challenges, and highlighting their potential to revolutionize personalized medicine and human-machine interaction.

Biography: Dr. Yeo holds the title of G.P. "Bud" Peterson and Valerie H. Peterson Endowed Professor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and the Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech. He is also the director of the Wearable Intelligent Systems and Healthcare Center, the NSF Research Traineeship Program in Sustainable Development of Smart Medical Devices, and the KIAT-Georgia Tech Semiconductor Electronics Center. Dr. Yeo's research focuses on the fundamentals of soft materials, deformable mechanics, interfacial physics, manufacturing, and integrating hard and soft materials to develop soft biomedical systems. He earned his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering and genome sciences from the University of Washington in Seattle and subsequently worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. With over 200 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Yeo has contributed to many prestigious journals, including Science, Science Translational Medicine, Nature Materials, Nature Machine Intelligence, and PNAS. He is an Associate Editor of Biosensors and Bioelectronics and has received numerous awards, including the Professorship from the Institute Jean Lamour at the Universite de Lorraine in France, the Lucy G. Moses Lectureship Award at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, the NIH Trailblazer Young Investigator Award, the IEEE Outstanding Engineer Award, the Emory School of Medicine Research Award, and the Imlay Innovation Award. Dr. Yeo is also the founder of two startup companies: Huxley Medical, Inc. and Wis Medical, Inc.

Host: Joshua Yang, Chongwu Zhou, Steve Cronin and Wei Wu

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