Review on the operation of wearable sensors through body heat harvesting based on thermoelectric devices

Abstract

The development of wearable sensors is currently receiving considerable attention owing to their potential usefulness in real-time health monitoring during ongoing assessments of personal health. The generation of thermoelectric power from body heat offers an attractive solution to supply power to these wearable devices. This review highlights the successes of flexible thermoelectric generators that have been achieved to date and also alludes to the remaining problems regarding the operation of wearable sensors based on power generated from harvested body heat. Specifically, appropriate simulation based on human thermoregulatory models, flexible heat sinks, electronics, and energy storage devices are relevant because their development would have to occur alongside that of wearable sensors to enable the implementation of these sensors in practice.