journal article·2026-07-29Open access

Advances and Challenges in Wearable Sensors for Health Monitoring

Laís Canniatti Brazaca, Alvaro Moreno Lozano, Beatriz Mayol, Desiree Tamara Scheidt, Domenico De Fazio, Enji Kim, Gabriel Maroli, Giulio Rosati, Hatice Ceren Ates, Hui Wang, Hye Jin Kim, Ji-Hwan Ha, Jin Yang, Jisoo Jeon, Jörg Goldhahn, Keval K. Sonigara, La Li, Mingyu Zhou, Seokjoo Cho, Shicheng Fan, Shuang Wu, Vanessa Matos Gonçalves, Vitor H. B. Dei Santi, Weixin Zhou, Wenzheng Heng, Won Gi Chung, Xinming Li, Yang Zou, Yunxia Jin, Zixuan Wu, Amay J. Bandodkar, Arben Merkoçi, Can Dincer, Chwee Teck Lim, Dae-Hyeong Kim, Emanuel Carrilho, Giovanni Antonio Salvatore, Guozhen Shen, Inkyu Park, Itthipon Jeerapan, Jang-Ung Park, Jin Wu, John S. Ho, John Rogers, Joseph Wang, Kevin W. Plaxco, Maria Cristina Ferreira de Oliveira, Martin Pumera, Noé Brasier, Omid Veiseh, Pooi See Lee, Vladimir V. Tsukruk, Wei Gao, Yong Zhu, Zhong Lin Wang, Zhou Li, Juliane Sempionatto, Osvaldo N. Oliveira

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces· Volume 18· Issue 29

Abstract

Abstract Analytical tools may revolutionize healthcare by enabling accessible, rapid, and decentralized testing. Wearable (bio)sensors, in particular, provide frequent or continuous patient monitoring through non- to minimally invasive measurements. This approach yields unprecedented amounts of health-related information, leading to more informed clinical decision-making and closer patient follow-up. In this mega-review article, we bring together leading researchers in the field to discuss the state of the art in wearable devices for health monitoring. We begin by providing a broad overview of the field through citation network analysis. We then review the application of chemical (bio)sensors in biofluids (e.g., sweat, saliva, tears, interstitial fluid, and cerebrospinal fluid), highlighting the challenges and advantages associated with each. Subsequently, we discuss the construction of wearable devices and their main formats (e.g., smart contact lenses, textiles, mouthguards, watches/wristbands, and implantable systems). Physical sensors are addressed in a dedicated section focusing on the assessment of heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature. The role of soft electronics in wearable devices is also examined, as these technologies are essential for enhancing user comfort and sensor reliability, which demands advances in materials science. Furthermore, we present strategies for signal acquisition and transmission, as well as approaches for on-body energy harvesting and device self-powering. The use of artificial intelligence and machine learning is then discussed as a means of enhancing analytical performance and managing the large volumes of data generated by wearable devices. Finally, business, regulatory, and ethical considerations are examined. We expect that this review will provide an overview of sensing and biosensing technologies for health-related applications, identify promising research directions, and inspire future developments.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials · Non-Invasive Vital Sign Monitoring · Context-Aware Activity Recognition Systems

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

University of São Paulo , , , ,

State University of Campinas (Unicamp) , , , ,

Rice University , , , ,

Ca’ Foscari University of Venice , , Via Torino 155 , ,

Yonsei University , , ,

Institute for Basic Science (IBS) , , ,

Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and BIST , Campus UAB , , ,

EURECAT - Technology Research Center , Av. de, Parc Científic i de la Innovació TecnoCampus, Carrer d’Ernest Lluch, 36 , , ,

Technical University of Munich , , ,

Nanyang Technological University , , ,

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology , . ,

Hanbat National University , ,

Chongqing University , , ,

Georgia Institute of Technology , , , ,

ETH Zurich , , ,

Brno University of Technology , , Purky̌nova 123 , ,

Beijing Institute of Technology , , ,

Northwestern University , , , ,

National University of Singapore , , ,

North Carolina State University , , , ,

Florida Institute of Technology , , ,

California Institute of Technology , , , ,

Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of Sciences , ,

Wuyi University , , ,

North Carolina State University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , , , ,

Funding

Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovaci?n y Universidades · HORIZON EUROPE Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions · European Commission · National University of Singapore · National Research Foundation Singapore · Funda??o de Amparo ? i Pesquisa do Estado de S?o Paulo · National Natural Science Foundation of China · Ministerstvo ?kolstv?, Ml?de?e a Telov?chovy · Grantov? Agentura Cesk? Republiky · Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior · Generalitat de Catalunya · Ministerstvo Zdravotnictv? Cesk? Republiky · Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient?fico e Tecnol?gico · National Research Foundation of Korea · European Social Fund Plus · Mechanobiology Institute, Singapore · European Regional Development Fund · Ministerstvo ?ivotn?ho Prostred? · Institute for Health Innovation and Technology, National University of Singapore · Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province · MechanoBioEngineering Laboratory, National University of Singapore · State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Sun Yat-sen University · Foundation of the State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology

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