ABSTRACT
The development of bioengineered skin-interfacing systems requires interdisciplinary research combining diverse fields such as tissue engineering, molecular biology, physiology, engineering, chemical processes, nanoscience, and signal processing. These advances have helped to bridge the biotic (organism) and abiotic (environment) realms in unanticipated ways. This chapter focuses on the unique biological boundary at the surface of human skin. Improved sensor systems for noninvasive detection of physiologically relevant mechanical, electrical, or magnetic signatures at the surface of the body require bridging to the body via this complex but assessable biological structure. Specifically, this chapter looks at the stratum corneum (SC), which is the outermost layer of the skin and the ultimate biopolymeric interface with the environment. The presentation begins with an introductory background on the anatomy of the skin and the structure of its layers, then addresses the design issues associated with creating a skin-microelectronic interface. The evaluation of microstructure interactions with the skin is also discussed.
