Cited by 778Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting MaterialsElectrochemical sensors and biosensorsAnalytical Chemistry and Sensors

Wearable Chemical Sensors: Present Challenges and Future Prospects

Bandodkar, Amay J., Jeerapan, Itthipon, Wang, Joseph·2016·ACS Sensors

Abstract

Wearable sensors have received considerable interest over the past decade owing to their tremendous promise for monitoring the wearers’ health, fitness, and their surroundings. However, only limited attention has been directed at developing wearable chemical sensors that offer more comprehensive information about a wearer’s well-being. The development of wearable chemical sensors faces multiple challenges on various fronts. This perspective reviews key challenges and technological gaps impeding the successful realization of effective wearable chemical sensor systems, related to materials, power, analytical procedure, communication, data acquisition, processing, and security. Size, rigidity, and operational requirements of present chemical sensors are incompatible with wearable technology. Sensor stability and on-body sensor surface regeneration constitute key analytical challenges. Similarly, present wearable power sources are incapable of meeting the requirements for wearable electronics owing to their low energy densities and slow recharging. Several energy-harvesting methodologies have inherent issues, including inconsistent power supply and limited stability. There are also major challenges pertaining to handling and securing the big data generated by wearable sensors. These include achieving high data transfer rates and efficient data mining. Efforts must also be made toward developing next generation cryptologic algorithms for ensuring data security and user privacy. The challenges facing the field of wearable chemical sensors, and wearable sensors, in general, can thus be addressed only by a multidisciplinary approach where researchers from diverse fields work in unison. The article discusses these challenges and their potential solutions along with future prospects.

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Crossref · 10.1021/acssensors.6b00250

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249 of 249 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Wearable biosensors face many fundamental challenges and technological gaps related to the scope, validation, stability and accuracy, along with power, communication and security/privacy issues.

    “Wearable biosensors face many fundamental challenges and technological gaps related to the scope, validation, stability and accuracy, along with power (Box 1)1,42,157-167, communication (Box 2)1,168 and security/privacy issues (Box 3)1,169-172”

    From Wearable biosensors for healthcare monitoring (2019) · cites this paper as [1]

  • Researchers have focused on combination approaches that involve the development of both the power sources and the design of more energy-efficient devices and adaptive algorithms to decrease energy demands.

    “Researchers have focused on a combination approaches that involve the development of both the power sources and the design of more energy-efficient devices and adaptive algorithms to decrease energy demands.”

    From Wearable biosensors for healthcare monitoring (2019) · cites this paper as [1]

  • The emergence of IC fabrication strategies, flexible electronics, device design, and e-garments has revolutionized the development of soft electronics and biological and chemical sensor technologies toward advancing sports medicine.

    “The emergence of IC fabrication strategies, flexible electronics, device design, and e-garments has revolutionized the development of soft electronics and biological and chemical sensor technologies toward advancing sports medicine.123–127”

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Authors
Bandodkar, A. J., Jeerapan, I., & Wang, J.
Affiliations
University of California San Diego (US)
Corresponding author
Wang, Joseph
Venue
ACS Sensors
Published
2016-05-11
Volume
1
Issue
5
Pages
464-482
ISSN
2379-3694 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2346517120
Cited by
778
References
249
Citations by year
2026: 54 · 2025: 63 · 2024: 62 · 2023: 66 · 2022: 66 · 2021: 104 · 2020: 106 · 2019: 112 · 2018: 73 · 2017: 56 · 2016: 16
FWCI
41.29
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
ACS Sensors (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Electrochemical sensors and biosensors
  • Physical Sciences › Chemical Engineering › Bioengineering › Analytical Chemistry and Sensors
Keywords
wearable sensors, health monitoring, sensor materials, wearable power sources, energy harvesting, sensor stability, data security, user privacy, data acquisition and processing, data rate

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