Flexible and Wearable Sensors for Biomedical Applications

Flexibility is the most attractive and challenging issue in the biomedical application of wearable sensors. Even after achieving a selective, sensitive, durable, miniaturized, and robust medical sensor, flexibility is needed to provide efficient and continuous interaction of sensors with living tissues. Flexible and wearable sensors can provide real-time and continuous monitoring of both physical and chemical properties of the human body during sports training. Wearable biomedical sensors consist of sensors, data analyzers, data processors, and energy sources that are placed on stretchable natural fabric or synthetic flexible polymer to achieve efficient and comfortable interaction with the human body. The smart, remote, and real-time monitoring of the physiological processes of the patient’s body, the early detection of diseases, controlled drug delivery, and participation in artificial skin construction are the latest advances in flexible biomedical sensors. In this chapter, first, the materials of flexible sensors, types of sensing, and the mechanisms of sensing are briefly explained. Then, the application of flexible sensors in health monitoring is discussed and exemplified. In the conclusion, the recent progress of flexible sensors in drug delivery and artificial skins is illustrated.