Jul 2026· ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces· Vol 18, pp. 39567 - 39694· 1 citation· 1,109 references
Medicine
TL;DR
This review of sensing and biosensing technologies for health-related applications is expected to provide an overview of the field, identify promising research directions, and inspire future developments.
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.
Diabetes management depends on regular glucose monitoring, yet conventional blood-based methods are invasive and can reduce user comfort. This review presents an overview of wearable glucose monitoring technologies, with emphasis on non-invasive approaches. It first distinguishes invasive, minimally invasive, and non-invasive monitoring and discusses the use of interstitial fluid, sweat, saliva, tears, urine, and breath as alternative sensing media. The review then summarizes optical, electrochemical, electrical/electromagnetic, and nanotechnology-enabled sensing methods, together with representative wearable and commercially reported devices. At the end, textile-based systems are compared with non-textile platforms in terms of comfort, flexibility, signal reliability, durability, and practical integration. Across these approaches, major limitations include variable relationships between alternative biofluids and blood glucose, interference from physiological and environmental factors, calibration requirements, motion artifacts, limited durability, and insufficient clinical validation. Future development requires more reliable sensing, improved wearable integration, standardized testing, and validation under real-world conditions.
A. Imran, M. B. Ramzan, Laraib Hashmi et al.· Biosensors· 0 citations
Continuous monitoring of chronic diseases with mobile health tools is rapidly advancing to improve patient care. Wearable sensors placed on or near the skin remain the dominant paradigm for collecting physiological data noninvasively during activities of daily living. However, wearable sensors have their limitations. Epidermal sensors are fundamentally limited by the information barrier that the skin presents. Furthermore, environmental factors impact the stability and longevity of wearables. An alternative technology is the expanding class of minimally invasive subdermal sensors, also called insertables. Key applications for subdermal sensors are reviewed, including three current clinical devices: insertable cardiac monitors, insertable continuous glucose monitors, and sub-scalp epilepsy monitors. Next, common challenges impacting performance are discussed, including device migration, device encapsulation, and misalignment with wirelessly linked wearables. Finally, recent technological advancements to mitigate these challenges are covered. With state-of-the-art approaches for achieving biocompatibility, remote powering, and wireless data transmission, the next generation of subdermal biosensors can be developed for unmet needs in chronic disease monitoring.
Haoyuan Zhu, Lin Du, Xilin Liu et al.· Annals of Biomedical Enginee...· 0 citations
Wearable biosensors are transforming healthcare by enabling continuous measurement of physiological and biochemical signals outside traditional clinical environments. These body-worn devices promise to democratise health monitoring, but questions remain about their accessibility, affordability and real-world deployment, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). To understand how the field is evolving in a global health context, we performed a bibliometric analysis covering 2010–2026 using the query ("wearable biosensor*" OR "wearable sensor*" OR "wearable device*") AND ("health monitoring") AND ("global health" OR "public health"). After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 38 articles were analysed. We examined publication trends, thematic evolution, keyword co-occurrence networks and country collaborations and contrasted the findings with evidence from recent literature on AI-enabled wearables and mHealth in low-resource settings. Publications grew substantially after 2020, driven by advances in artificial intelligence (AI), remote patient monitoring and pandemic-related research, but only a minority explicitly addressed affordability, accessibility or LMIC deployment. Thematic clusters centred on wearable devices, health monitoring, AI/machine learning and COVID-19, while gaps included long-term deployment studies and cost analyses. This review highlights the need for interdisciplinary research that integrates technology development with public-health considerations to ensure that wearable biosensors support equitable and scalable healthcare.
R. Ogundokun, R. Bello, P. Owolawi et al.· International Conference on...· 0 citations
Clinical translation remains limited by data security and privacy risks, insufficient standardization and regulatory alignment, long-term stability and biocompatibility concerns, and uneven validation maturity across technologies.
Jirui Wen, Jiang Wu, Yi Yang et al.· Chinese Medical Journal· 0 citations
Wearable and point-of-care biosensors are redefining how we monitor health by enabling rapid, non-invasive chemical analysis directly from the body. Despite their widespread emergence for applications such as sweat or saliva monitoring, very few technologies have been developed to address women’s health needs—particularly during lactation. Human milk is a dynamic and information-rich biofluid that not only nourishes infants but also reflects maternal health. Yet, tools for real-time, accessible milk analysis remain virtually nonexistent. Our work introduces a new generation of wearable and low-cost analytical devices designed specifically for monitoring biomarkers in breast milk, transforming a routine postpartum accessory into a powerful diagnostic platform.
We have developed a
smart lactation pad
that integrates
microfluidic systems and electrochemical sensors
within a soft, absorbent substrate worn comfortably during the day. As milk naturally leaks and accumulates in the pad, capillary-driven microchannels direct small volumes toward embedded sensing zones for biochemical analysis. This continuous, on-body sampling approach eliminates the need for manual collection or external lab testing, providing immediate insights into both maternal and infant well-being. The system is designed to quantify key components of milk—including glucose, electrolytes, and drug residues—enabling informed feeding decisions and supporting safe medication management (“pump-and-dump” strategies).
At the core of our sensing platform is laser-induced graphene (LIG), produced by direct laser engraving of polyimide films. This rapid, mask-free process converts the polymer surface into a conductive, porous, and flexible carbon network ideally suited for wearable electrochemical sensing. Surface functionalization with enzymes, ion-selective membranes, or redox mediators allows the LIG electrodes to target diverse analytes while maintaining stability in complex milk matrices. Modulation of the LIG’s surface topography and wettability further improves compatibility with sensing membranes and enhances signal reproducibility. Additionally, our calibration-free ion sensing design enables long-term, drift-free monitoring of sodium-to-potassium ratios—offering the first non-invasive, early indication of mastitis in lactating individuals.
By uniting advances in materials engineering, microfluidic design, and wearable electronics, this work bridges the gap between fundamental sensor development and real-world maternal health applications. The smart lactation pad represents a scalable, user-friendly platform that brings laboratory-grade analysis to the home, empowering parents and clinicians with actionable biochemical data. Beyond milk analysis, this framework establishes a foundation for next-generation wearables that address historically overlooked needs in women’s health through accessible, personalized chemical sensing.
References
(1) Adv. Funct. Mater., 2025, 2420973., (2) Device, 2025, 3, 100774., (3) npj Women’s Health, 2025, 3, 48. (4) Adv. Funct. Mater. (2025): e13707.
Figure 1
The integration of biochemical and biophysical sensing technologies in wearable devices represents a significant advancement in continuous and individualized health monitoring. Traditional wearable sensors are often restricted to either biophysical signals like mobility, temperature, electrophysiological activity, etc., or electrochemical analytes like glucose, lactate, etc. Integrating these complementary modalities into a single, compact, skin-conformal device creates opportunities for multimodal diagnostics and health monitoring systems. This review summarizes the recent advancements in multifunctional integrated flexible wearable biosensors that monitor chemical and physical parameters simultaneously. Initially, the insights are provided on the advances in flexible materials and fabrication techniques that support next-generation wearable devices. Subsequently, the recent progress in biophysical sensing, biochemical sensing, and strategies for their integration into multifunctional wearable platforms is critically examined. Finally, the review concludes with the key challenges to clinical translation and a perspective on future directions to achieve the next generation of integrated flexible wearable systems.
S. Sulthana, U. M. Iqbal, B. S. Sreeja et al.· Biosensors· 0 citations
