The design criteria for the ePatch were to administer electric pulses suitable for electroporation of cells in the skin’s epidermal layer using a simple and low-cost device that can be quickly mass-produced.



The resulting design consists of a piezoelectric pulse generator and a metal MEA .

The electric pulses are generated based on piezoelectricity, a technique derived from the mechanism found in a common household gas lighter. The pulses are generated using a spring-latch mechanism wherein a hammer strikes a piezoelectric crystal, producing a powerful mechanical force converted into high-voltage electrical energy that is used to generate a spark when applied across an air gap (i.e., when operated as a lighter), but can be used to pass current through tissue using microneedle electrodes.

We previously described the theoretical principles of this spring-latch mechanism and its advantages in enabling tunable and consistent electric pulses independent of user force.

source: https://www.pnas.org/content/118/45/e2110817118

Its developers say it could expand global access to vaccines containing genetic material, including the ones that fight COVID-19.