Abstract
The development of diagnostic tools for measuring a wide spectrum of target analytes, from biomarkers to other biochemical parameters in biological fluids, has experienced a significant growth in the last decades, with a good number of such tools entering the market. Recently, a clear focus has been put on miniaturized wearable devices, which offer powerful capabilities for real-time and continuous analysis of biofluids, mainly sweat, and can be used in athletics, consumer wellness, military, and healthcare applications. Sweat is an attractive biofluid in which different biomarkers could be noninvasively measured to provide rapid information about the physical state of an individual. Wearable devices reported so far often provide discrete (single) measurements of the target analytes, most of them in the form of a yes/no qualitative response. However, quantitative biomarker analysis over certain periods of time is highly demanded for many applications such as the practice of sports or the precise control of the patient status in hospital settings. For this, a feasible combination of fluidic elements and sensor architectures has been sought. In this regard, this paper shows a concise overview of analytical tools based on the use of capillary-driven fluidics taking place on paper or fabric devices integrated with solid-state sensors fabricated by thick film technologies. The main advantages and limitations of the current technologies are pointed out together with the progress towards the development of functional devices. Those approaches reported in the last decade are examined in detail.
Highlights
In recent years, efficient, simple, and low-cost diagnostic tools for decentralized rapid analysis of biomarkers at home, the point-of-care (POC), the point-of-need, or over-thecounter (OTC) have been highly demanded
An organic electrochemical transistor (OET) inkjet printed on a flexible polyimide foil (PI) and applied to sweat measurement is described in reference [16,17]
This review describes all reported works focused on paper- and fabric-based microfluidic devices that integrate solid-state sensors applied to wearable systems for sweat analysis
Summary
Efficient, simple, and low-cost diagnostic tools for decentralized rapid analysis of biomarkers at home, the point-of-care (POC), the point-of-need, or over-thecounter (OTC) have been highly demanded. Two main groups can be identified regarding the device ability to provide a qualitative (yes/no) or quantitative result While the former have shown widespread application mainly due to the implementation of easy and very cost-effective instrument-free lateral-flow strip devices [1], the development of quantitative approaches has been more challenging considering the strict requirements in sensitivity, specificity, and precision that should be fulfilled. Quantitative POC devices are ideally compact and comprise miniaturized sensor components integrated in a device that allows for the sample uptake, processing, and analysis in an automatic or semi-automatic fashion. This can be done with fluidic approaches and electronic or photonic components for sensor interrogation and signal recording and interpretation. The different elements of these POC devices are detailed and examined
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