Continuous Monitoring of Body Fluid by Flexible Bio-Integrated Flow Sensors

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Wearable Technology

Background:

• Body fluids are crucial for health, necessitating continuous monitoring.
• Conventional clinical equipment is bulky and offers only intermittent monitoring.
• Flexible bio-integrated flow sensors (BIFS) promise real-time, continuous monitoring but face sensitivity and stability challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the latest advancements in BIFS for continuous human body fluid monitoring.
• To outline engineering strategies for high-performance BIFS.
• To showcase BIFS applications in personalized healthcare and explore future directions.

Main Methods:

• Delineation of engineering strategies for BIFS development.
• Analysis of microscale functional materials and macroscale fluid-structure interaction.
• Compilation of representative BIFS and their healthcare applications.

Main Results:

• Effective engineering strategies enhance BIFS performance.
• Advancements in materials and structural design improve sensor capabilities.
• Showcased BIFS applications demonstrate potential in personalized healthcare.

Conclusions:

• BIFS represent a significant advancement for continuous body fluid monitoring.
• Overcoming sensitivity and stability issues is key for clinical adoption.
• Future development directions promise more practical and widespread BIFS applications.