Recent developments and future perspectives of microfluidics and smart technologies in wearable devices

Recent developments and future perspectives of microfluidics and smart technologies in wearable devices

2024 | Sasikala Apoorva, Nam-Trung Nguyen, Kamalalayam Rajan Sreejith
Wearable devices are increasingly used in health monitoring, diagnosis, and drug delivery. Recent advances in wearable technology enable real-time analysis of biofluids like sweat, saliva, and urine. Integrating microfluidics with smart technologies such as AI, ML, and IoT enhances non-invasive monitoring and diagnosis. This review discusses current trends in microfluidics and smart technologies in wearable devices for analyzing body fluids. It covers common microfluidic technologies, challenges in analyzing different biofluids, and the importance of combining smart technologies with microfluidics for diagnosis and therapy. Recent applications, trends, and future developments in intelligent microfluidic wearable devices are also provided. Microfluidics, which manipulates fluids on a microscale, is well-suited for wearable devices due to its advantages like low volume, high sensitivity, and integration with sensing components. It enables accurate analysis of bodily fluids and can be used for drug delivery. Microfluidic components can be miniaturized for integration into wearable devices, allowing portability and ease of use. Wearable devices with microfluidic channels can provide valuable health information, including electrolyte levels and biomarkers. PDMS-based microfluidics is widely used for wearable devices due to its biocompatibility, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. However, PDMS has limitations such as aging and incompatibility with some solvents. Paper-based microfluidics is an inexpensive and lightweight alternative for portable diagnostic tools. Microneedle-based transdermal microfluidics allows for drug delivery and analyte collection through the skin, offering advantages like increased efficiency and reduced side effects. Biofluids such as sweat, saliva, urine, tears, and wound fluid are commonly analyzed by microfluidic wearable devices. Sweat contains biomarkers like sodium, chloride, potassium, and lactate, which can be used for diagnosing conditions like cystic fibrosis and diabetes. Saliva is a readily accessible biofluid containing biomarkers similar to sweat, useful for monitoring health conditions and drug levels. Sweat and saliva analysis can provide valuable insights into an individual's health status and can be used for non-invasive monitoring. Challenges in sweat and saliva analysis include variations in composition, limited applications, and the need for accurate and reliable detection methods. Future research aims to expand the potential of these devices for broader applications in healthcare. The integration of smart technologies with microfluidics in wearable devices holds promise for personalized healthcare, enabling real-time monitoring and improved disease management.Wearable devices are increasingly used in health monitoring, diagnosis, and drug delivery. Recent advances in wearable technology enable real-time analysis of biofluids like sweat, saliva, and urine. Integrating microfluidics with smart technologies such as AI, ML, and IoT enhances non-invasive monitoring and diagnosis. This review discusses current trends in microfluidics and smart technologies in wearable devices for analyzing body fluids. It covers common microfluidic technologies, challenges in analyzing different biofluids, and the importance of combining smart technologies with microfluidics for diagnosis and therapy. Recent applications, trends, and future developments in intelligent microfluidic wearable devices are also provided. Microfluidics, which manipulates fluids on a microscale, is well-suited for wearable devices due to its advantages like low volume, high sensitivity, and integration with sensing components. It enables accurate analysis of bodily fluids and can be used for drug delivery. Microfluidic components can be miniaturized for integration into wearable devices, allowing portability and ease of use. Wearable devices with microfluidic channels can provide valuable health information, including electrolyte levels and biomarkers. PDMS-based microfluidics is widely used for wearable devices due to its biocompatibility, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. However, PDMS has limitations such as aging and incompatibility with some solvents. Paper-based microfluidics is an inexpensive and lightweight alternative for portable diagnostic tools. Microneedle-based transdermal microfluidics allows for drug delivery and analyte collection through the skin, offering advantages like increased efficiency and reduced side effects. Biofluids such as sweat, saliva, urine, tears, and wound fluid are commonly analyzed by microfluidic wearable devices. Sweat contains biomarkers like sodium, chloride, potassium, and lactate, which can be used for diagnosing conditions like cystic fibrosis and diabetes. Saliva is a readily accessible biofluid containing biomarkers similar to sweat, useful for monitoring health conditions and drug levels. Sweat and saliva analysis can provide valuable insights into an individual's health status and can be used for non-invasive monitoring. Challenges in sweat and saliva analysis include variations in composition, limited applications, and the need for accurate and reliable detection methods. Future research aims to expand the potential of these devices for broader applications in healthcare. The integration of smart technologies with microfluidics in wearable devices holds promise for personalized healthcare, enabling real-time monitoring and improved disease management.
Reach us at info@study.space