Stretchable polymer-based electronic device

A stretchable electronic circuit, the circuit having a central longitudinal axis, comprising:

• a solid stretchable and flexible polymer body made entirely of poly(dimethylsiloxane), said solid stretchable and flexible polymer body made entirely of poly(dimethylsiloxane) having a polymer body longitudinal axis that is concurrent with the central longitudinal axis of the circuit,
• at least one microchannel in said solid stretchable polymer body made entirely of poly(dimethylsiloxane), said at least one microchannel having a microchannel longitudinal axis that is concurrent with the central longitudinal axis of the circuit, wherein said at least one microchannel extends fully along said microchannel longitudinal axis,
• a multiplicity of microchannel longitudinal components that extend in the longitudinal direction, and
• a multiplicity of micro channel offset components that are at an angle to the longitudinal direction, and
• an electrically conductive media contained in said at least one microchannel,
• wherein said at least one microchannel and said electrically conductive media form an electronic circuit line that extends fully along said microchannel longitudinal axis and is operatively connected to said flexible polymer substrate, said at least one electronic circuit line having
• a multiplicity of longitudinal components that are aligned with the central longitudinal axis of the circuit, wherein said multiplicity of longitudinal components include said multiplicity of microchannel longitudinal components, and
• a multiplicity of offset components that are offset from the central longitudinal axis of the circuit, wherein said multiplicity of offset components include said multiplicity of microchannel offset components, and
• wherein said longitudinal components and said offset components allow the circuit to stretch in the longitudinal direction while maintaining the integrity of said at least one circuit line.

A method of producing a stretchable electronic circuit having a central longitudinal axis and being stretchable in a longitudinal direction generally aligned with the central longitudinal axis, comprising the steps of:

• providing a solid stretchable polymer body made entirely of poly(dimethylsiloxane),
• assuring that said solid stretchable polymer body made entirely of poly(dimethylsiloxane) has a polymer body longitudinal axis that is concurrent with the central longitudinal axis of the electronic circuit;
• providing at least one microchannel in said solid stretchable polymer body made entirely of poly(dimethylsiloxane) with said at least one microchannel having a microchannel longitudinal axis that is concurrent with the central longitudinal axis of the circuit, wherein said at least one microchannel extends fully along said microchannel longitudinal axis,
• a multiplicity of microchannel longitudinal components that extend in the longitudinal direction, and
• a multiplicity of micro channel offset components that are at an angle to the longitudinal direction, and
• filling said at least one microchannel with an electrically conductive media to assure that
• said stretchable polymer body has multiplicity of circuit line longitudinal components that extend in the longitudinal direction, wherein said multiplicity of circuit line longitudinal components include said multiplicity of microchannel longitudinal components and
• said stretchable polymer body has a multiplicity of circuit line offset components that extend at an angle to the longitudinal direction, wherein said multiplicity of circuit line offset components include said multiplicity of microchannel offset components,
• said longitudinal component and said offset component allowing the circuit to stretch in the longitudinal direction while maintaining the integrity of said circuit line longitudinal component and said circuit line offset component.