Review—Smart Wearable Sensors for Health and Lifestyle Monitoring: Commercial and Emerging Solutions

Abstract

The rapid growth of urbanisation has brought about various health concerns for citizens living in urban environments. Sedentary lifestyles, increased pollution levels, and high levels of stress have become prevalent issues affecting the overall well-being of urban populations. In recent years, the emergence of smart wearable devices has offered a promising avenue to address these health concerns and promote healthier lifestyles. This review evaluatse the effectiveness of smart wearables in mitigating health concerns and improving the lifestyles of urban citizens. The review involves 50 relevant peer-reviewed smart wearable studies and supporting literature from electronic databases PubMed, Ovid, Web of Science, and Scopus. Results indicate that smart wearables have the potential to positively impact the health of urban citizens by promoting physical activity, tracking vital signs, monitoring sleep patterns, and providing personalised feedback and recommendations to promote physical activity levels. Furthermore, these devices can help individuals manage stress levels, enhance self-awareness, and foster healthier behaviours. However, the review also identifies several challenges, including the accuracy and reliability of wearable data, user engagement and adherence, and ethical considerations regarding data privacy and security.