Carbon-based nanomaterials and sensing tools for wearable health monitoring devices

Abstract

The healthcare system has a drastic paradigm shift from centralized care to home-based and self-monitoring strategies; aiming to reach more individuals, minimize workload in hospitals, and reduce healthcare-associated expenses. Particularly, wearable technologies are garnering considerable interest by tracking physiological parameters through motion and activities, and monitoring biochemical markers from sweat, saliva, and tears. Through their integrations with sensors, microfluidics, and wireless communication systems, they allow physicians, family members, or individuals to monitor multiple parameters without any significant disruptions to daily routine. Integrating flexible and smart materials with wearable platforms have already enabled facile operations. Especially, carbon nanomaterials hold unique features, including low density, high strength, good conductivity, outstanding flexibility, versatile integration with materials and sensors. In this manuscript, carbon nanomaterials are comprehensively reviewed with their tremendous assets utilized in wearable technologies. Further, their integration with ultrasonic, acoustic and energy harvesting devices, optical and electrochemical platforms, microfluidics, and wireless communication technologies are presented.