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Wearable and Implantable Bioelectronics for Advanced Biosensing and Human Health...
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Wearable and Implantable Bioelectronics for Advanced Biosensing and Human Health Monitoring

A special issue of Biosensors (ISSN 2079-6374). This special issue belongs to the section "Wearable Biosensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 9443

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Faheem Ershad

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
Interests: wearable electronics; implantable electronics; bioelectronics; neural interfaces; biosensors; tissue engineering
Dr. Farnaz Lorestani

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
Interests: flexible and wearable sensing; electrochemical biosensors; biosensors and bioelectronics; micro and nanotechnology
Prof. Dr. Binghao Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
Interests: wearable electronic skin and fabric; ultra flexible and ultra-thin electronic integrated devices; thin-film transistors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce a Special Issue of Biosensors dedicated to exploring the latest advances in wearable and implantable bioelectronics for advanced biosensing and human health monitoring. This Special Issue will highlight novel approaches, technologies, and materials that enable the development of highly sensitive, selective, and minimally invasive biosensing platforms for continuous health monitoring and point-of-care diagnostics.

Recent years have seen remarkable progress in the field of wearable and implantable bioelectronics, with innovations in materials science, microfabrication, and bioengineering driving the development of increasingly sophisticated biosensors. These devices offer unprecedented opportunities for real-time, personalized health monitoring and early disease detection. However, challenges remain in areas such as biocompatibility, long-term stability, power management, and data interpretation. For this Special Issue, we welcome original research papers and comprehensive reviews that address these challenges and showcase cutting-edge developments in wearable and implantable biosensors. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Novel materials and fabrication techniques for flexible, stretchable, and biodegradable biosensors;
  • Miniaturized electrochemical, optical, and mechanical biosensing platforms;
  • Multimodal biosensors for simultaneous detection of multiple biomarkers;
  • Integration of biosensors with wireless communication and data analytics technologies;
  • Innovative approaches for non-invasive sampling and sensing of biomarkers;
  • Self-powered biosensors and energy harvesting strategies for long-term operation.

We particularly encourage submissions that demonstrate the following:

  1. Integration of advanced materials (e.g., nanomaterials, biomimetic polymers, stimuli-responsive materials) with biosensing technologies;
  2. Novel sensing modalities beyond traditional electrochemical and optical approaches;
  3. Strategies for improving the long-term stability and reliability of implantable biosensors;
  4. Innovative solutions for overcoming biofouling and foreign body responses;
  5. Approaches for continuous, non-invasive monitoring of challenging biomarkers (e.g., hormones, neurotransmitters, metabolites).

By compiling papers from leading experts in materials science, flexible/stretchable electronics, and bioengineering, we will provide a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art in wearable and implantable bioelectronics for health monitoring. We hope that this Special Issue will stimulate further innovation and cross-disciplinary collaboration in this rapidly evolving field.

We look forward to receiving your contributions to this exciting Special Issue.

Dr. Faheem Ershad
Dr. Farnaz Lorestani
Prof. Dr. Binghao Wang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biosensors is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • wearable biosensors
  • bioelectronics
  • stretchable electronics
  • multimodal biosensing
  • biomarker detection

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 3593 KiB  
Article
Polypyrrole Coatings as Possible Solutions for Sensing and Stimulation in Bioelectronic Medicines
by Cristian Sevcencu, Izabella Crăciunescu, Alin-Alexandru Andrei, Maria Suciu, Sergiu Macavei and Lucian Barbu-Tudoran
Biosensors 2025, 15(6), 366; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios15060366 - 6 Jun 2025
Viewed by 394
Abstract
Bioelectronic medicines record biological signals and provide electrical stimulation for the treatment of diseases. Advanced bioelectronic therapies require the development of electrodes that match the softness of the implanted tissues, as the present metal electrodes do not meet this condition. The objective of [...] Read more.
Bioelectronic medicines record biological signals and provide electrical stimulation for the treatment of diseases. Advanced bioelectronic therapies require the development of electrodes that match the softness of the implanted tissues, as the present metal electrodes do not meet this condition. The objective of the present work was to investigate whether the electroconductive polymer polypyrrole (PPy) could be used for fabricating such electrodes, as PPy is several orders softer than metals. For this purpose, we here investigated if electrodes made using coatings and films of PPy doped with naphthalin-2-sulfonic acid (PPy/N) are capable to record and elicit by stimulation cardiac monophasic action potentials (MAPs) and if PPy/N is also biocompatible. The results of this study showed that the tested PPy/N electrodes are capable of recording MAPs almost identical to the MAPs recorded with platinum electrodes and eliciting stimulation-evoked MAPs almost identical to the spontaneous MAPs. In addition, we show here that the cell cultures that we used for biocompatibility tests grew in a similar manner on PPy/N and platinum substrates. We, therefore, conclude that PPy/N coatings and films have recording and electrical stimulation capabilities that are similar to those of platinum electrodes and that PPy/N substrates are as biocompatible as the platinum substrates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wearable and Implantable Bioelectronics for Advanced Biosensing and Human Health Monitoring)
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19 pages, 5866 KiB  
Article
A Low-Cost Hydrogel Electrode for Multifunctional Sensing: Strain, Temperature, and Electrophysiology
by Junjie Zheng, Jinli Zhou, Yixin Zhao, Chenxiao Wang, Mengzhao Fan, Yunfei Li, Chaoran Yang and Hongying Yang
Biosensors 2025, 15(3), 177; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios15030177 - 11 Mar 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1359
Abstract
With the rapid development of wearable technology, multifunctional sensors have demonstrated immense application potential. However, the limitations of traditional rigid materials restrict the flexibility and widespread adoption of such sensors. Hydrogels, as flexible materials, provide an effective solution to this challenge due to [...] Read more.
With the rapid development of wearable technology, multifunctional sensors have demonstrated immense application potential. However, the limitations of traditional rigid materials restrict the flexibility and widespread adoption of such sensors. Hydrogels, as flexible materials, provide an effective solution to this challenge due to their excellent stretchability, biocompatibility, and adaptability. This study developed a multifunctional flexible sensor based on a composite hydrogel of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and sodium alginate (SA), using poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) as the conductive material to achieve multifunctional detection of strain, temperature, and physiological signals. The sensor features a simple fabrication process, low cost, and low impedance. Experimental results show that the prepared hydrogel exhibits outstanding mechanical properties and conductivity, with a strength of 118.8 kPa, an elongation of 334%, and a conductivity of 256 mS/m. In strain sensing, the sensor demonstrates a rapid response to minor strains (4%), high sensitivity (gauge factors of 0.39 for 0–120% and 0.73 for 120–200% strain ranges), short response time (2.2 s), low hysteresis, and excellent cyclic stability (over 500 cycles). For temperature sensing, the sensor achieves high sensitivities of −27.43 Ω/K (resistance mode) and 0.729 mV/K (voltage mode), along with stable performance across varying temperature ranges. Furthermore, the sensor has been successfully applied to monitor human motion (e.g., finger bending, wrist movement) and physiological signals such as electrocardiogram (ECG), electromyogram (EMG), and electroencephalogram (EEG), highlighting its significant potential in wearable health monitoring. By employing a simple and efficient fabrication method, this study presents a high-performance multifunctional flexible sensor, offering novel insights and technical support for the advancement of wearable devices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wearable and Implantable Bioelectronics for Advanced Biosensing and Human Health Monitoring)
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22 pages, 3597 KiB  
Article
Biomechanical Risk Classification in Repetitive Lifting Using Multi-Sensor Electromyography Data, Revised National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Lifting Equation, and Deep Learning
by Fatemeh Davoudi Kakhki, Hardik Vora and Armin Moghadam
Biosensors 2025, 15(2), 84; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios15020084 - 1 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1893
Abstract
Repetitive lifting tasks in occupational settings often result in shoulder injuries, impacting both health and productivity. Accurately assessing the biomechanical risk of these tasks remains a significant challenge in occupational ergonomics, particularly within manufacturing environments. Traditional assessment methods frequently rely on subjective reports [...] Read more.
Repetitive lifting tasks in occupational settings often result in shoulder injuries, impacting both health and productivity. Accurately assessing the biomechanical risk of these tasks remains a significant challenge in occupational ergonomics, particularly within manufacturing environments. Traditional assessment methods frequently rely on subjective reports and limited observations, which can introduce bias and yield incomplete evaluations. This study addresses these limitations by generating and utilizing a comprehensive dataset containing detailed time-series electromyography (EMG) data from 25 participants. Using high-precision wearable sensors, EMG data were collected from eight muscles as participants performed repetitive lifting tasks. For each task, the lifting index was calculated using the revised National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) lifting equation (RNLE). Participants completed cycles of both low-risk and high-risk repetitive lifting tasks within a four-minute period, allowing for the assessment of muscle performance under realistic working conditions. This extensive dataset, comprising over 7 million data points sampled at approximately 1259 Hz, was leveraged to develop deep learning models to classify lifting risk. To provide actionable insights for practical occupational ergonomics and risk assessments, statistical features were extracted from the raw EMG data. Three deep learning models, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), were employed to analyze the data and predict the occupational lifting risk level. The CNN model achieved the highest performance, with a precision of 98.92% and a recall of 98.57%, proving its effectiveness for real-time risk assessments. These findings underscore the importance of aligning model architectures with data characteristics to optimize risk management. By integrating wearable EMG sensors with deep learning models, this study enables precise, real-time, and dynamic risk assessments, significantly enhancing workplace safety protocols. This approach has the potential to improve safety planning and reduce the incidence and severity of work-related musculoskeletal disorders, ultimately promoting better health and safety outcomes across various occupational settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wearable and Implantable Bioelectronics for Advanced Biosensing and Human Health Monitoring)
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Review

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46 pages, 4362 KiB  
Review
AI-Driven Wearable Bioelectronics in Digital Healthcare
by Guangqi Huang, Xiaofeng Chen and Caizhi Liao
Biosensors 2025, 15(7), 410; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios15070410 - 26 Jun 2025
Viewed by 440
Abstract
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with wearable bioelectronics is revolutionizing digital healthcare by enabling proactive, personalized, and data-driven medical solutions. These advanced devices, equipped with multimodal sensors and AI-powered analytics, facilitate real-time monitoring of physiological and biochemical parameters—such as cardiac activity, glucose [...] Read more.
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with wearable bioelectronics is revolutionizing digital healthcare by enabling proactive, personalized, and data-driven medical solutions. These advanced devices, equipped with multimodal sensors and AI-powered analytics, facilitate real-time monitoring of physiological and biochemical parameters—such as cardiac activity, glucose levels, and biomarkers—allowing for early disease detection, chronic condition management, and precision therapeutics. By shifting healthcare from reactive to preventive paradigms, AI-driven wearables address critical challenges, including rising chronic disease burdens, aging populations, and healthcare accessibility gaps. However, their widespread adoption faces technical, ethical, and regulatory hurdles, such as data interoperability, privacy concerns, algorithmic bias, and the need for robust clinical validation. This review comprehensively examines the current state of AI-enhanced wearable bioelectronics, covering (1) foundational technologies in sensor design, AI algorithms, and energy-efficient hardware; (2) applications in continuous health monitoring, diagnostics, and personalized interventions; (3) key challenges in scalability, security, and regulatory compliance; and (4) future directions involving 5G, the IoT, and global standardization efforts. We highlight how these technologies could democratize healthcare through remote patient monitoring and resource optimization while emphasizing the imperative of interdisciplinary collaboration to ensure equitable, secure, and clinically impactful deployment. By synthesizing advancements and critical gaps, this review aims to guide researchers, clinicians, and policymakers toward responsible innovation in the next generation of digital healthcare. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wearable and Implantable Bioelectronics for Advanced Biosensing and Human Health Monitoring)
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25 pages, 4644 KiB  
Review
Non-Invasive Wearables in Inflammation Monitoring: From Biomarkers to Biosensors
by Tingting Wu and Guozhen Liu
Biosensors 2025, 15(6), 351; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios15060351 - 1 Jun 2025
Viewed by 876
Abstract
Quantifying inflammation plays a critical role in understanding the progression and development of various diseases. Non-invasive or minimally invasive wearable biosensors have garnered significant attention in recent years due to their convenience, comfort, and ability to provide continuous monitoring of biomarkers, particularly in [...] Read more.
Quantifying inflammation plays a critical role in understanding the progression and development of various diseases. Non-invasive or minimally invasive wearable biosensors have garnered significant attention in recent years due to their convenience, comfort, and ability to provide continuous monitoring of biomarkers, particularly in infectious diseases and chronic diseases. However, there are still areas for improvement in developing reliable biosensing devices to detect key inflammatory biomarkers in clinically relevant biofluids. This review first introduces common biofluids with a focus on the most clinically significant inflammatory biomarkers. Specifically, it discusses the challenges encountered in extracting and detecting analytes in these biofluids. Subsequently, we review three popular types of non-invasive wearable biosensors for inflammation monitoring (microneedle patches, flexible electronic skins, and textile-based sensors). The design and operational considerations of these devices are analyzed, followed by an exploration of the information processing approaches employed during data processing. Finally, we envision future opportunities by guiding the development and refinement of non-invasive or minimally invasive wearable biosensors for continuous inflammation monitoring in chronic diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wearable and Implantable Bioelectronics for Advanced Biosensing and Human Health Monitoring)
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45 pages, 15184 KiB  
Review
Wearable Electrochemical Glucose Sensors for Fluid Monitoring: Advances and Challenges in Non-Invasive and Minimally Invasive Technologies
by Ming Wang, Junjie Zheng, Ge Zhang, Shiyan Lu and Jinli Zhou
Biosensors 2025, 15(5), 309; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios15050309 - 12 May 2025
Viewed by 1709
Abstract
This review highlights the latest developments in wearable electrochemical glucose sensors, focusing on their transition from invasive to non-invasive and minimally invasive designs. We discuss the underlying mechanisms, performance metrics, and practical challenges of these technologies, emphasizing their potential to revolutionize diabetes care. [...] Read more.
This review highlights the latest developments in wearable electrochemical glucose sensors, focusing on their transition from invasive to non-invasive and minimally invasive designs. We discuss the underlying mechanisms, performance metrics, and practical challenges of these technologies, emphasizing their potential to revolutionize diabetes care. Additionally, we explore the motivation behind this review: to provide a comprehensive analysis of emerging sensing platforms, assess their clinical applicability, and identify key research gaps that need addressing to achieve reliable, long-term glucose monitoring. By evaluating electrochemical sensors based on tears, saliva, sweat, urine, and interstitial fluid, this work aims to guide future innovations toward more accessible, accurate, and user-friendly solutions for diabetic patients, ultimately improving their quality of life and disease management outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wearable and Implantable Bioelectronics for Advanced Biosensing and Human Health Monitoring)
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27 pages, 4448 KiB  
Review
Implantable Biosensors for Vascular Diseases: Directions for the Next Generation of Active Diagnostic and Therapeutic Medical Device Technologies
by Ali Mana Alyami, Mahmut Talha Kirimi, Steven L. Neale and John R. Mercer
Biosensors 2025, 15(3), 147; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios15030147 - 25 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1874
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Key challenges such as atherosclerosis, in-stent restenosis, and maintaining arteriovenous access, pose urgent problems for effective treatments for both coronary artery disease and chronic kidney disease. The next generation of active implantables [...] Read more.
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Key challenges such as atherosclerosis, in-stent restenosis, and maintaining arteriovenous access, pose urgent problems for effective treatments for both coronary artery disease and chronic kidney disease. The next generation of active implantables will offer innovative solutions and research opportunities to reduce the economic and human cost of disease. Current treatments rely on vascular stents or synthetic implantable grafts to treat vessels when they block such as through in-stent restenosis and haemodialysis graft failure. This is often driven by vascular cell overgrowth termed neointimal hyperplasia, often in response to inflammation and injury. The integration of biosensors into existing approved implants will bring a revolution in cardiovascular devices and into a promising new era. Biosensors that allow real-time vascular monitoring will provide early detection and warning of pathological cell growth. This will enable proactive wireless treatment outside of the traditional hospital settings. Ongoing research focuses on the development of self-reporting smart cardiovascular devices, which have shown promising results using a combination of virtual in silico modelling, bench testing, and preclinical in vivo testing. This innovative approach holds the key to a new generation of wireless data solutions and wireless powered implants to enhance patient outcomes and alleviate the burden on global healthcare budgets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wearable and Implantable Bioelectronics for Advanced Biosensing and Human Health Monitoring)
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