Permeable electronics possess the capability of permeating gas and/or liquid while performing the device functionality when attached to human bodies. The permeability of wearable electronics can not only minimize the thermophysiological disturbance to the human body but also ensure a biocompatible human-device interface for long-term, continuous, and real-time health monitoring. To date, how to simultaneously acquire high permeability and multifunctionality is the major challenge of wearable electronics. Here, a critical discussion on the future development of wearable electronics toward permeability is presented. In this perspective, the critical metrics of permeable electronics are discussed, and the historical evolution of wearable technologies is reviewed with highlights of representative examples. The materials and structural strategies for developing high-performance permeable electronics are then analyzed.
Keywords: flexible and stretchable electronics; permeability; textile; thin-film technologies; wearable technologies.