Publication date: 28th June 2024
Plant electrophysiology, the measurement and study of plants’ electrical signals, reflects plant health status and interactions with environments. Its fast-responsive, systemic, and real-time features and non-invasive measurement make electrophysiology attractive for both fundamental study and practical use in plant health monitoring. However, conventional laboratory techniques for measuring plant electrophysiology signals suffer from poor adhesion with plant surfaces, bulky form factors, or invasiveness, making them nonideal for testing in natural environments, either indoor farms or the field.
In this talk, I will share my work on developing wearable electrophysiology sensors that can conform to complex plant surfaces (e.g., hairy, rough, superhydrophobic) and remain adhesive, while also being safe and inducing minimal impact on plant growth. The conformal adhesive attachment of the sensors on plants makes them resistant to motion artifacts, and the non-invasive wearable form factor promises the potential for real-world deployment outside of laboratories. The pillar for such sensing technology is the design of plant-interfacing materials. I will discuss in detail how material design can help tackle the sensing fidelity challenge on plants. I will also showcase possible applications of this technology in plant health monitoring, environment optimization, and crop breeding. With more scientific and technological breakthroughs, electrophysiology sensors will help tackle many plant-related changes facing humanity, in food security, environment, and biodiversity.