US Patent 7948147 - Stretchable silicon sensor network

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7948147.html

This patent from Boeing teaches a system to monitor the structural integrity of airframes, bridges, buildings, etc. based on zinc oxide nanowires grown in a stretchable silicon template. Claim 1 reads:

1. A sensor network comprising:

a stretchable silicon substrate; and

a plurality of nodes fabricated on said stretchable silicon substrate, said nodes comprising an energy harvesting and storage element comprising zinc oxide nanowires grown on said stretchable silicon substrate, and at least one of a communication device, a sensing device, and a processor, said nodes interconnected via interconnecting conductors formed in said substrate.