Skin-patchable electrodes for biosensor applications: A review

Abstract

Health care monitoring is an extremely important aspect of human life that can be accomplished using wearable skin-patchable sensors. Upon interfacing with the skin or epidermal surface of the body, the sensing patches can monitor the movements of human parts such joints, legs, and fingers as well as tiny vibrations caused by respiration, blood flow, and heart beat. Wearable skin patches have shown improved promise in monitoring the body temperature and fever in addition to quick measurement of blood pressure and pulse rate along with breathing rate. Sensors can also analyze the sweat contents when in contact with the skin as well as other analytes such as diabetes-based volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and organophosphate nerve stimulating agents. Hence, the sensors can be of immense help in the early prediction of malfunctions of the body organs such as heart and lungs, leading to timely and effective treatment. This review covers different important aspects of skin-patchable sensors including mechanical strength and flexibility, sensitivity, transparency, self-healing, self-cleaning, and self-powering ability as well as their latest applications in medical technology.