Topic: Advanced Hydrogel-Based Flexible Electronics: Materials, Intelligent Devices and Cross-Field Applications

Flexible electronics have rapidly advanced the development of wearable systems, human–machine interfaces, biomedical devices, and soft robotics, thereby accelerating the emergence of next-generation intelligent soft electronic technologies. Among various soft materials, hydrogels have attracted extensive attention owing to their intrinsic flexibility, tunable ionic/electronic conductivity, excellent biocompatibility, and highly tailorable structures, making them ideal candidates for flexible electronic systems. Compared with conventional rigid electronics and stiff polymer-based flexible devices, hydrogel-based electronics can readily accommodate dynamic and irregular deformations, enabling seamless integration with biological tissues and emerging intelligent wearable platforms. Consequently, they have become a rapidly growing interdisciplinary research frontier.

With the rapid development of artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and wearable healthcare technologies, modern flexible electronic systems increasingly demand hydrogel devices with multimodal sensing, intelligent responsiveness, self-powered operation, and integrated system-level functionality. These emerging requirements continue to drive interdisciplinary innovation across materials science, electronics, bioengineering, and medicine.

This Special Issue aims to present the latest advances in hydrogel-based flexible electronics, highlight key technological breakthroughs, and discuss the remaining challenges and bottlenecks in this rapidly evolving field. It will also provide perspectives on future development trends and emerging opportunities for next-generation intelligent soft electronic systems. Through this Special Issue, we hope to establish an effective platform for academic exchange, inspire innovative research ideas, and promote the continued advancement and practical translation of high-performance hydrogel-based flexible electronic technologies.

Key areas of interest include but are not limited to:

●  Hydrogel-based flexible and stretchable electronics;

●  Soft bioelectronics and implantable systems;

●  Intelligent hydrogels and AI-integrated sensing platforms;

●  Hydrogel-enabled human–machine interfaces;

●  Self-healing and multifunctional soft materials;

●  Ionic conductive hydrogels and organogels;

●  Hydrogel soft robotics and artificial muscles;

●  Wearable and textile bioelectronics;

●  Electronic skin and multimodal sensing;

●  Bioinspired soft intelligent systems;

●  Energy harvesting and self-powered systems;

●  Digital healthcare and personalized medicine.

●  4D printing and programmable hydrogel systems;

●  Neuromorphic and adaptive soft electronics;

●  Hydrogel-enabled biomedical interfaces.

Hydrogel, flexible electronics, functional materials, intelligent sensors, human-machine interaction, wearable devices, soft robotics