Wearables in Medicine

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Computer Science

Background:

• Wearable medical technologies are increasingly vital for personal analytics, tracking physical status, physiological parameters, and medication schedules.
• These evolving platforms provide continuous medical data for metabolic tracking, diagnosis, and treatment, promoting healthier lifestyles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review consumer trends, commercial and emerging devices, and fabrication methods for wearable electronics.
• To discuss real-time vital sign monitoring, drug delivery systems, and closed-loop theranostic systems.
• To explore future challenges and opportunities in wearable technology development.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on wearable electronics and medical applications.
• Analysis of advances in miniaturized flexible electronics, biosensors, microfluidics, and AI.
• Discussion of fabrication techniques and device configurations for various interfaces (epidermal, ocular, etc.).

Main Results:

• Flexible wearable devices can collect biochemical and electrophysiological signals from diverse interfaces.
• Key areas include real-time vital sign monitoring, stimuli-responsive drug delivery, and closed-loop theranostics.
• Future challenges encompass AR/VR integration, communication, energy, displays, conformity, and data security.

Conclusions:

• Patient-oriented wearable technologies are crucial for advancing safe and effective healthcare.
• Incorporation of these technologies into clinical trials will accelerate their development and adoption.
• Continued innovation in materials, electronics, and AI is essential for realizing the full potential of medical wearables.