Smart electronics based on 2D materials for wireless healthcare monitoring

TLDR

The demand for wearable electronics in healthcare has driven research into lightweight, skin‑friendly, soft elastic devices, and the advent of atomically thin 2D materials with exceptional electrical, optical, and mechanical properties has enabled flexible, stretchable electronic devices that can be integrated into the human body. This review examines 2D material‑based wearable sensors for human health monitoring and discusses the challenges and prospects for their commercial implementation. The authors compile recent research progress on 2D material‑based wearable sensors across a wide range of applications, highlighting design strategies and material properties that enable skin‑mountable devices.

Abstract

The demand for wearable electronics in the fields of human healthcare monitoring and disease diagnosis has significantly increased in recent years. In particular, there is a need for light-weight, skin-friendly, soft elastic devices that can attach comfortably to human skin and communicate information via the Internet of Things. Rigorous research has been carried out to find new materials and device designs that can meet the challenging demands of skin-mountable devices. The emergence of atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) materials with exceptional electrical, optical, and mechanical properties, and low cytotoxicity has facilitated the fabrication of low-dimensional electronic devices on flexible/stretchable platforms that can be easily integrated into the human body. Herein, we provide a comprehensive review of recent research progress on 2D material-based wearable sensors that are proposed for a wide range of applications including human health monitoring. Several potential applications based on wearable electronic devices have already been well established and documented, while many others are at a preliminary stage. Based on current research progress, the challenges and prospects toward commercial implementation of such clinical sensors are also discussed.