Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600 UKM, Selangor, Malaysia
  • 2 Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600 UKM, Selangor, Malaysia
  • 3 Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department, Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Seri Iskandar 32610, Perak, Malaysia
Nanomaterials (Basel), 2023 Feb 24;13(5).
PMID: 36903730 DOI: 10.3390/nano13050852

Abstract

Flexible sensors have been extensively employed in wearable technologies for physiological monitoring given the technological advancement in recent years. Conventional sensors made of silicon or glass substrates may be limited by their rigid structures, bulkiness, and incapability for continuous monitoring of vital signs, such as blood pressure (BP). Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have received considerable attention in the fabrication of flexible sensors due to their large surface-area-to-volume ratio, high electrical conductivity, cost effectiveness, flexibility, and light weight. This review discusses the transduction mechanisms, namely, piezoelectric, capacitive, piezoresistive, and triboelectric, of flexible sensors. Several 2D nanomaterials used as sensing elements for flexible BP sensors are reviewed in terms of their mechanisms, materials, and sensing performance. Previous works on wearable BP sensors are presented, including epidermal patches, electronic tattoos, and commercialized BP patches. Finally, the challenges and future outlook of this emerging technology are addressed for non-invasive and continuous BP monitoring.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.