Paper-Based Supercapacitive Pressure Sensor for Wrist Arterial Pulse Waveform Monitoring

Recent developments in wearable pressure sensors have led to the need for high sensitivity and a broad sensing range to accurately detect various physiological states. However, high sensitivity does not always translate to a wide sensing range, and manufacturing sensors with such high sensitivity is a complex and expensive process. In this study, we present a capacitive pressure sensor based on tissue paper that is simple to produce and cost-effective yet still exhibits high linear sensitivity of 2.9 kPa –1 in the 0–16 kPa range. The linear sensitivity of 1.5 kPa –1 was achieved from 16 to 90 kPa. The sensor also demonstrated a fast response time of 0.2 s, excellent pressure resolution at both low and high pressures, and a sufficient signal-to-noise ratio, making it ideal for detecting wrist arterial pulse waveforms. We were also able to demonstrate the sensor’s practicality in real-world applications by cycling it 5000 times and showing its capability to capture pulse waveforms from different arterial locations. These low-cost sensors possess all the intrinsic features necessary for efficient measurement of pulse waveforms, which may facilitate the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases.