The wearable device, designed to monitor bladder and kidney health, could be adapted for earlier diagnosis of cancers deep within the body.

MIT engineers developed organic polymers that can efficiently convert signals from biological tissue into the electronic signals used in transistors.

The device senses and wirelessly transmits signals related to pulse, sweat, and ultraviolet exposure, without bulky chips or batteries.

Engineers 3D print materials with networks of sensors directly incorporated.

The technique opens a door to manufacturing of pressure-monitoring bandages, shade-shifting fabrics, or touch-sensing robots.

The Space Exploration Initiative supports research across and beyond MIT in two microgravity flights this spring.

Polymers could be designed to reflect or trap heat, regardless of hue.