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Abstract Recent advancements in wearable photonic sensors have marked a transformative era in healthcare, enabling non‐invasive, real‐time, portable, and personalized medical monitoring. These sensors leverage the unique properties of light toward high‐performance sensing in form factors optimized for real‐world use. Their ability to offer solutions to a broad spectrum of medical challenges – from routine health monitoring to managing chronic conditions, inspires a rapidly growing translational market. This review explores the design and development of wearable photonic sensors toward various healthcare applications. The photonic sensing strategies that power these technologies are first presented, alongside a discussion of the factors that define optimal use‐cases for each approach. The means by which these mechanisms are integrated into wearable formats are then discussed, with considerations toward material selection for comfort and functionality, component fabrication, and power management. Recent developments in the space are detailed, accounting for both physical and chemical stimuli detection through various non‐invasive biofluids. Finally, a comprehensive situational overview identifies critical challenges toward translation, alongside promising solutions. Associated future outlooks detail emerging trends and mechanisms that stand to enable the integration of these technologies into mainstream healthcare practice, toward advancing personalized medicine and improving patient outcomes.
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Microneedle sensors for dermal interstitial fluid analysis
Abstract The rapid advancement in personalized healthcare has driven the development of wearable biomedical devices for real-time biomarker monitoring and diagnosis. Traditional invasive blood-based diagnostics are painful and limited to sporadic health snapshots. To address these limitations, microneedle-based sensing platforms have emerged, utilizing interstitial fluid (ISF) as an alternative biofluid for continuous health monitoring in a minimally invasive and painless manner. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of microneedle sensor technology, covering microneedle design, fabrication methods, and sensing strategy. Additionally, it explores the integration of monitoring electronics for continuous on-body monitoring. Representative applications of microneedle sensing platforms for both monitoring and therapeutic purposes are introduced, highlighting their potential to revolutionize personalized healthcare. Finally, the review discusses the remaining challenges and future prospects of microneedle technology. Graphical Abstract
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- Award ID(s):
- 2145802
- PAR ID:
- 10546132
- Publisher / Repository:
- Springer Science + Business Media
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Med-X
- Volume:
- 2
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 2731-8710
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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