Smart wearable photonic array biosensor for human sweat analysis

Cholesteric liquid crystal networks (CLCNs) intertwined with interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogels have emerged as a promising platform for the development of optical photonic sensors. However, the integration of a multiplex biosensor within a flexible substrate for real-time human sweat analysis remains a significant challenge. Herein, we present a novel flexible CLCN-IPN-based sensor array, embedded within a soft wearable microfluidic patch, designed for the continuous monitoring of human sweat. This innovative biosensor allows optical detection of glucose, urea, and lactate with impressive limits of detection: 0.31 mM for glucose, 0.273 mM for urea, and 3.11 mM for lactate. The wearable array biosensor enables real-time analysis of sweat, offering results that can be interpreted with the naked eye, eliminating the need for complex instruments. This approach to epidermal health monitoring has the potential to inspire new advancements in wearable sensor devices, contributing to the future of smart healthcare applications.