Liam Ives

Liam's PhD project (2019-2024) was entitled "Conformable and Robust Microfluidics Force Sensors for Othropedic Surgery". He designed and developed functionalised capacitive microfluidic force sensors to guide orthopedic surgeons during total hip arthroplasty, to provide them with real-time quantitative force balancing data during the operation.

Liam manufactured the sensors using a combination of Additive Manufacturing techniques such as Stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing and Aerosol-Jet Printing. He also developed finite element models and produces bespoke experimental setups to calibrate the sensors and optimise their design.

This work led to a spin-out company, ArtioSense (https://artiosense.co.uk/), which in 2023 won the Institute of Physics (IOP) Lee Lucas business awad (https://www.iop.org/about/awards/business-awards/2023-winners/artiosense#gref).

Publications:

• Q. Jing, A. Pace, L. Ives, N. Catic, V. Khanduja, J. Cama, S. Kar-Narayan “Aerosol-jet-printed, conformable microfluidic force sensors” Cell Reports Physical Science 10.1016/j.xcrp.2021.100386 (2021)
• L. Ives, A. Pace, F. Bor, Q. Jing, T. Wade, J. Cama, V. Khanduja, S. Kar-Narayan “Conformable and robust microfluidic force sensors to enable precision joint replacement surgery” Materials & Design 10.1016/j.matdes.2022.110747 (2022)
• M. Nair, E. Inwald, L. Ives, K.R.M. See, S. Kar-Narayan “Optimising aerosol jet printing of collagen inks for enhanced piezoelectricity and controlled surface potential” Journal of Physics 10.1088/2515-7639/acca4a (2023)