Jul 2026· Journal of Optics· Vol 28, pp. 083001· 0 citations
Physics
TL;DR
This review highlights the clinical translation of OFS technologies and their readiness for real-world use, and outlines the main challenges to clinical adoption and suggests future directions for the wider use of OFS in biomedical sensing.
Abstract
Optical fibre sensors (OFS) have advanced substantially in recent years, progressing from predominantly laboratory-based prototypes to promising tools for real-world biomedical applications. Their growing integration into healthcare systems highlights the value of OFS for continuous physiological monitoring, early disease detection, and therapy guidance. Key application domains include the measurement of physical parameters (e.g. pressure, strain, temperature) and biological targets (e.g. proteins, metabolites, and nucleic acids), and chemical analytes (e.g. pH, drugs, gases). Instead of focusing only on sensor design and theoretical concepts, this review highlights the clinical translation of OFS technologies and their readiness for real-world use. The paper also discusses new trends in medical OFS, including personalised and decentralised monitoring and data-driven clinical decision-making. Finally, this review outlines the main challenges to clinical adoption and suggests future directions for the wider use of OFS in biomedical sensing.
In vivo biosensing technologies are revolutionizing how health and disease are monitored by enabling continuous, real-time measurement of biomarkers within the body. From the first enzymatic electrode biosensor developed to modern integrated sensing devices, progress in materials science, microelectronics, and bioengineering has expanded the scope of implantable sensors. Key requirements such as high analytical performance, long-term biocompatibility, safe energy supply, and reliable wireless communication must be met for successful clinical translation. Major application areas include metabolic monitoring (exemplified by continuous glucose monitors for diabetes), cardiovascular management, neural interfaces for brain activity, inflammatory disease tracking, oncology, transplant organ monitoring, bladder dysfunction management, and biomechanical strain sensing. This review provides a comprehensive overview of design strategies for in vivo biosensors, categorized into three implantation approaches: material-based implants, injectable microdevices, and surgical implants. We discuss the historical development, state-of-the-art examples, and design considerations for each strategy. A comparative analysis highlights their respective advantages and limitations. Finally, we examine the overarching challenges and future perspectives that will guide the next generation of implantable biosensing devices toward widespread clinical impact.
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.
L. Brazaca, Alvaro Moreno Lozano, Beatriz Mayol et al.· ACS Applied Materials and In...· 1 citation
This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in flexible electrochemical sensors, with particular emphasis on nanomaterial engineering, device fabrication strategies, and biomedical applications, and examines current limitations.
Bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) has emerged as a versatile, non-invasive technique for real-time electrical characterization of biological systems. By applying alternating current and analyzing the resulting complex impedance, BIS provides insights into cellular structure, tissue properties, and physiological processes, and can also detect pathogenic bacteria. This article presents a scoping review of recent advances in BIS, conducted under the Arksey and O’Malley framework and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, and analyzes 46 studies published between 2015 and 2025 that address BIS applications across biological systems. The strongest evidence was identified in fluid management and hydration monitoring (39.1%), body composition assessment (17.4%), and lymphedema monitoring (15.2%), whereas applications in tissue characterization, cellular systems, agriculture, machine learning-assisted diagnostics, and biosensing technologies remain at lower levels of translational maturity. Recent advances in instrumentation, sensor design, microfluidics, wearable systems, and computational analysis are critically examined. The review identifies major technological barriers, including a lack of standardized acquisition protocols, device-dependent variability, limited interoperability, heterogeneous modeling approaches, and insufficient multicenter validation. Despite challenges related to standardization, modeling of heterogeneous systems, and measurement reproducibility, BIS continues to demonstrate potential across biomedical, biotechnological, and industrial applications. Its ability to provide continuous, real-time, and non-destructive measurements supports its growing use in diagnostic platforms, therapeutic monitoring, and industrial biosensing applications. This review provides an integrated perspective on current developments, limitations, and future directions of BIS-based technologies.
Ilena Torres-Grau, Francisco Cuadros-Salcedo, Javier Ramos-Maganés et al.· Frontiers in Bioengineering...· 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
This review aims to examine how AI can help optical sensors overcome major barriers limiting their adoption in clinical settings and to identify the major barriers limiting their adoption in clinical settings.
Siyi Zeng, Haoyu Li, Guoliang Ying et al.· Translational Medical Engine...· 0 citations
