Wearable strain sensor utilizing the synergistic effect of Ti3C2Tx MXene/AgNW nanohybrid for point-of-care respiratory monitoring

Abstract

Respiratory signals are significant indicators for detecting changes in physiological conditions and early diagnosis of numerous respiratory illnesses. Herein, we have integrated a high-performance strain sensor and portable circuit board (PCB) with personalized interface to develop point-of-care respiratory monitoring device. The ultrasensitive strain sensor utilizes a conductive polymeric nanocomposite that harnesses the synergistic effect of Ti3C2Tx (MXene)/AgNW nanohybrid to develop a wearable device. The wearable device is capable of analysing pulmonary volumes, such as forced volume capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume (FEV1), while accurately recognizing various breathing patterns in a resting state (such as normal, forced, and obstructive), as well as during different physical activities. It shows excellent correlation (>93%) with commercial spirometer for measurement of pulmonary parameters. In addition, we present a wireless device for lab rat respiratory monitoring in anaesthetic state. The device is implemented for real-time respiratory monitoring under mild, normal and high anaesthesia doses. The levels of anaesthesia doses including a critical limit can be significantly discriminated by means of breathing frequency and amplitude, which ultimately results in saving their lives. These results demonstrate the practical feasibility of the strain sensing device as wearable electronics for point-of-care respiratory monitoring in humans and other species.