Biosensors for Personal Mobile Health: A System Architecture Perspective

Abstract Advances in mobile biosensors, integrating developments in materials science and instrumentation, are fueling an expansion in health data being collected and analyzed in decentralized settings. For example, semiconductor‐based sensors are enabling measurement of vital signs, and microfluidic‐based sensors are enabling measurement of biochemical markers. As biosensors for mobile health are becoming increasingly paired with smart devices, it can become critical for researchers to design biosensors—with appropriate functionalities and specifications—to work seamlessly with accompanying connected hardware and software. Here, recent research in biosensors, as well as current mobile health devices in use is described and classified into four distinct system architectures that take into account the biosensing and data processing functions required in personal mobile health devices. The path forward for integrating biosensors into smartphone‐based mobile health devices is also discussed.