Intelligent Nanomaterials for Wearable and Stretchable Strain Sensor Applications: The Science behind Diverse Mechanisms, Fabrication Methods, and Real-Time Healthcare

Polymers (Basel). 2022 May 30;14(11):2219. doi: 10.3390/polym14112219.

Abstract

It has become a scientific obligation to unveil the underlying mechanisms and the fabrication methods behind wearable/stretchable strain sensors based on intelligent nanomaterials in order to explore their possible potential in the field of biomedical and healthcare applications. This report is based on an extensive literature survey of fabrication of stretchable strain sensors (SSS) based on nanomaterials in the fields of healthcare, sports, and entertainment. Although the evolution of wearable strain sensors (WSS) is rapidly progressing, it is still at a prototype phase and various challenges need to be addressed in the future in special regard to their fabrication protocols. The biocalamity of COVID-19 has brought a drastic change in humans' lifestyles and has negatively affected nations in all capacities. Social distancing has become a mandatory rule to practice in common places where humans interact with each other as a basic need. As social distancing cannot be ruled out as a measure to stop the spread of COVID-19 virus, wearable sensors could play a significant role in technologically impacting people's consciousness. This review article meticulously describes the role of wearable and strain sensors in achieving such objectives.

Keywords: fabrication techniques; human motion monitoring; intelligent nanomaterials; mechanism; wearable and stretchable strain sensor.

Publication types

  • Review

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.