Whispers of the heart: Nanoengineered biohybrid dielectric architectures for low-power wearable cardiovascular monitoring

The translation of advanced functional materials into wearable healthcare technologies requires architectures that combine sustainability, mechanical compliance, and energy-efficient signal transduction. Here, we report a nanoengineered cellulose acetate–barium titanate (BaTiO₃) biohybrid dielectric architecture designed for low-power wearable cardiovascular monitoring. The material is fabricated using a 3D-printed sacrificial mold, enabling hierarchical micro/nanostructured interfaces that enhance interfacial polarization and improve the capacitance response under mechanical deformation within physiological pressure ranges. By integrating the mechanical adaptability and sustainability of cellulose acetate with the high permittivity of BaTiO₃, the resulting biohybrid dielectric exhibits a stable and reproducible electromechanical response under physiological pressure conditions. When combined with a frequency-based capacitive readout and a conformal parylene-C encapsulation, the platform enables real-time acquisition of cardiovascular pressure waveforms at an ultralow system-level power consumption of 180 µW. Beyond sensing performance, this work demonstrates how bio-based dielectric architectures can be rationally engineered and translated into functional wearable electronic systems. The proposed strategy bridges materials design, additive manufacturing, and healthcare applications, highlighting the potential of sustainable biohybrid materials for next-generation wearable and biointegrated technologies. Hierarchically engineered cellulose–BaTiO₃ biohybrid dielectric fabricated using a sustainable 3D-printed sacrificial mold. The microstructured architecture enhances dielectric coupling under mechanical stimuli, enabling the conversion of physiological deformation into stable capacitive signals. The flexible and biocompatible platform supports real-time cardiovascular monitoring, highlighting the potential of sustainable hybrid biomaterials for biointegrated wearable electronics. • Hierarchical cellulose–BaTiO₃ biohybrid dielectric architecture enables enhanced capacitive sensitivity (11.1 kHz pF⁻¹). • Engineered composite exhibits linear and stable capacitive response under physiological pressure ranges. • Biohybrid dielectric maintains reliable performance under humidity and skin-contact conditions. • Flexible, biocompatible architecture supports robust integration into wearable electronic systems. • Real-time cardiovascular pressure waveforms successfully recorded in human subjects.