One of the lab’s most fruitful partnerships is with HP, which has a major research facility in Corvallis. Together, they’re exploring how HP’s microfluidics and dispensing technologies — initially developed for inkjet printing — can be repurposed for life sciences. “We’ve had an ongoing collaboration with HP, focused around cell counting, which has been a natural connection point,” Johnston said. “One facet of the collaboration involves cell counting, where we do cell analysis and counting of biological cells. It’s a natural connection point where our background and the things we can actually do in the lab are highly relevant to what their long-term goals are in the life science space.” The collaboration serves as a model for how academia and industry can work together to accelerate innovation. HP brings manufacturing expertise and infrastructure; Johnston’s lab brings cutting-edge research and a deep understanding of biosensing and electronics. The result is a pipeline of technologies that could soon be commercialized and deployed in homes, clinics, and communities. “We have all of these tools now at our disposal that we can apply to really important problems in healthcare and medicine,” he said. “And hopefully, we’ll solve those problems much more rapidly.” STRETCHABLE ELECTRONICS TO MONITOR THE BODY One of the most exciting areas of Johnston’s research is stretchable electronics — flexible, skinlike circuits that can be worn comfortably on the body. These devices are designed to monitor movement, track chronic conditions, and even interface with virtual reality systems. The potential impact of this technology is enormous. Imagine a future where patients can monitor their hydration, glucose, and stress levels from a patch, or where a senior citizen can track their heart health with a soft, stretchable sensor embedded in their clothing. Johnston’s lab is working to make that future a reality. COLLABORATION WITH HP But innovation doesn’t happen in isolation. Johnston’s team collaborates closely with researchers across disciplines — from bioengineering to artificial intelligence — and with clinicians to ensure their devices solve realworld problems. HOW WEARABLE MEDICAL ELECTRONICS ARE TRANSFORMING HEALTHCARE THE LAB “WE USE A VARIETY OF MODERN MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES TO MAKE THOSE INSTRUMENTS MUCH SMALLER SO THEY CAN FIT IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND OR EVEN ON YOUR FINGERTIP.” Matthew Johnston is leading a quiet revolution in healthcare — one that fits in the palm of your hand. Johnston, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Oregon State University, heads a lab focused on miniaturizing traditional lab equipment into portable, wearable devices. “A lot of our focus is on taking big instruments — big boxes that would sit in a biology or chemistry lab — and shrinking them down,” Johnston said. “We use a variety of modern manufacturing technologies to make those instruments much smaller so they can fit in the palm of your hand or even on your fingertip.” This work is part of a broader movement toward at-home or wearable medical electronics — devices that can monitor health, diagnose disease, and even guide treatment, all without a trip to the clinic. The goal, Johnston says, is to increase accessibility and reduce costs. WINTER 2026 OREGON STATE ENGINEERING 2
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