Wearable and flexible biomimetic microfluidic sensors for rapid sweat biomarker detection

Wearable sweat colorimetric sensors demonstrate significant potential for continuous, real-time, and non-invasive health monitoring. Inspired by the Nepenthes alata plant, this study developed bio-inspired microfluidic channels with unique two-dimensional duck tongue-like structures using laser processing. The biomimetic channels demonstrated 51 % enhancement in liquid collection efficiency compared to conventional designs, along with superior transport performance across different buffer solutions. By integrating microfluidic technology with colorimetric detection, we developed a smartphone-based sensing system capable of rapid biomarker detection (pH, Cl⁻, Ca²⁺) using minimal sweat volume (about 10 μL), maintaining high accuracy even under varying illumination. This work provides innovative strategies for designing highly efficient, wearable sensors for non-invasive health monitoring.