Wearable Chemical Sensors: Present Challenges and Future Prospects

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 l...