A modal-interferometer-based wearable system for health monitoring

Sensitive wearable systems for vital physiological parameters monitoring, such as body temperature and pulse rate, have gained significance for personalized and public healthcare. Here, we propose and demonstrate a flexible and wearable modal interferometer based on photonic crystal fiber (PCF) embedded in a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane for accurate pulse rate monitoring. The system depicts the sensitivity of 283 pm/°C for the temperature variation. The stretching sensitivity of the proposed sensor is observed to be 2.6 pm/μm over a range of 0 – 2000 μm. The proposed system facilitates body temperature and pulse rate detection with high accuracy and repeatability. This system has the potential to act as a wearable device for extensive bio-medical applications.