Microneedle-integrated wearable devices for healthcare monitoring

Abstract

Wearable technologies have emerged as powerful tools for non-invasive health care monitoring, enabling continuous detection of biomarkers to support personalized medicine and disease management. However, most biological biomarkers stay inside tissue and cannot be accessed on the skin surface through simple contact. Microneedle (MN) technology provides a solution for the wearable technologies to sample biofluid, detect biomarkers, and convert the concentrations of biomarkers to electronic signals. This article provides a comprehensive overview of latest development in this field, highlighting MN design principles, functional integration with microfluidics, microelectronics, and artificial intelligence, as well as the practical applications. We conclude by discussing the challenges in clinical translation and future prospects for smart, multi-functional, and autonomous health care monitoring.