Researchers have developed a data storage device capable of functioning well in wet environments. The device is made of biocompatible gels, liquid metal and other soft materials and has the potential to usher in a new generation of biocompatible electronics.

“What we’ve done is make a memory device completely out of soft material,” Michael Dickey, assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, said. Dickey is the co-author of the paper describing the research. 

Because the device is made of water-based gels, such as hydrogel, which is similar to Jell-O in appearance and physical properties, the device is able to operate and thrive in wet environments.  

“In the hydrogel, in many cases they are more than 90 percent water.  In fact, some of them are 99 percent water.  So you’re really talking about something that’s like a sponge, full of water, and for that reason, it’s highly biocompatible,” Dickey said.

Unlike traditional electronics, the soft memory can operate while completely submerged in water. 

“[The memory device] is survivable in environments that would traditionally be harsh for electronics,” said Dickey. “One time our students brought a prototype to a meeting, and they literally brought it in a bucket of water. You would never imagine putting your conventional hard drive in a bucket of water. That wasn’t really our motivation, per se, but it gets you thinking about potential applications for building electronics out of unconventional matter.”

According to Velev, the device is capable of performing an electronic function but operating on materials similar to the ones found in nature or in life.

“It was a breakthrough with regard to the materials we used,” Velev said. “The principle of the device can be used in making progress in biomedical