Printable hydrogel enables wearable health sensors that multitask

Image of a researcher applying printable hydrogel to a test participant

By Jamie Oberdick

Wearable health monitors can track heart rate, muscle activity, brain signals and other physiological measurements, but many devices are designed to capture only one type of signal at a time. Recording multiple signals simultaneously is more difficult because sensors must maintain reliable contact with the body even through hair, sweat and everyday movement.

Penn State doctoral student earns Corning honor for research into stronger glass

Mason Link

By Jamie Oberdick

Glass may look uniform, but some of the strongest and most useful glass materials contain carefully controlled crystals. Their size, number and arrangement can determine whether a material is strong enough for a smartphone screen, transparent enough for an optical device or durable enough for a dental crown.

Director's Message

July 2026 Newsletter: MRI
Josh Robinson standing outside the Millennium Science Complex

I am honored and excited to begin serving as director of Penn State’s Materials Research Institute. MRI has played an important role throughout my career, from my graduate studies in Materials Science and Engineering at Penn State (2001-2005) to where I am today – its newest Director! I have seen firsthand how the institute brings together people, ideas, and capabilities from across the University to address complex research challenges.

Stretchable antenna keeps wearable health sensors in tune with human health

Wearable health monitors are designed to move with the body. But for many devices, movement creates a problem: The more a person bends, stretches, reaches or runs, the harder it can be for the device to keep a stable wireless connection. Penn State researchers and international collaborators set out to solve that problem by developing a soft, stretchable antenna that can keep working even when pulled in different directions.