Recent advances in wearable sweat sensors using functional nucleic acids: progress and future directions

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Abstract Wearable sweat sensors leveraging functional nucleic acids, such as aptamers, have emerged as a transformative technology for real-time health monitoring and diagnostics. These sensors offer high specificity, sensitivity, and adaptability, making them ideal for various biosensing applications. This perspective discusses recent innovations in the design and fabrication of wearable sweat sensors, with a particular focus on molecular recognition elements and signal transduction mechanisms. By addressing the limitations of traditional wearable devices, such as low specificity, poor sensitivity, and limited adaptability, functional nucleic acid-based sensors enable more accurate, real-time, and versatile health monitoring. We highlight the potential of these sensors in personalized medicine and continuous disease monitoring, underscoring the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to overcome existing challenges. A detailed analysis of a landmark study in the field is provided, showcasing breakthrough advancements in molecular recognition and signal transduction. Finally, we offer insights for optimizing these technologies to enhance their practicality and sustainability. Collectively, functional nucleic acid-based wearable sweat sensors are poised to become a key component in the future of health management, driven by ongoing research and technological advancements.