Advanced Sensor Research最新文献

One of the significant issues of concern in recent times is detecting, quantifying, and monitoring various chemical contaminants in the environment. Numerous inorganic and organic substances are discharged into the environment from various anthropogenic activities, thereby polluting the ecosystems' air, water, soil, and other components. These contaminants have been documented to have deleterious effects on humans, animals, and the environment. Therefore, the need for monitoring and continual quantification of the contents of these contaminants in various environmental matrices becomes paramount. Many diverse sensors are fabricated for multiple utilizations, including liquids and gas sensors, wireless sensors, electronic tongues, and noses for detecting volatile airborne substances, pollutants, and effluents. This review focuses on cutting-edge technology used in chemical sensors for environmental protection and sustainable development. It also discusses the fabrication and development of chemical sensors and their working principles. In addition, highlights about the applications of chemical sensors in environmental monitoring are also elaborated. This review article discusses emerging sensor technologies and their application in ecological monitoring. Further, the recognition of chemical warfare agents and homeland security applications with the help of bioelectronic nose and tongue is discussed. Finally, some challenges associated with chemical sensors and future trends are also attempted.

The wearable optical fiber sensors have demonstrated significant promise in the realm of health monitoring in recent times. These sensors utilize the flexibility and exceptional sensitivity of optical fibers to precisely measure many physiological aspects of the human body, including heart rate, breathing rate, mobility status, and body temperature. Optical fiber sensors usually have good biocompatibility and anti-interference capabilities, can be integrated into flexible materials, and are suitable for long-term wear. It can be integrated into clothing, patches, or accessories to provide continuous, real-time health data monitoring, providing important support for personalized medicine and remote health management. This paper primarily presents the fundamental operating concept of wearable optical fiber sensors and their use in monitoring physiological signals across multiple domains. In conclusion, this paper provides a summary of the limitations and future prospects of wearable fiber sensors using optical fiber technology.

Upper limb amputation severely impairs tactile perception, limiting daily activities. Developing a near-natural replacement with prosthetic devices requires improving user sensory experiences during object interactions. The ideal upper limb prosthesis should provide real-time sensory feedback, mirroring natural experiences. Current prostheses struggle with providing adequate tactile feedback due to sensory limitations. Inspired by the sensory properties of skin, we present a micro-fabricated, multiplexed electronic skin (e-skin) with actuators for sensory feedback in upper limb amputation. The piezoelectric-capacitive sensor array detects static pressure, temperature, vibration, and texture, with integrated actuators stimulating the skin to provide real-time feedback. The sensors integrate with actuators via readout electronics, making the system standalone and easy to use. The flexible, compact sensor array design (two pixels within a 1 cm² footprint) detects a wide range of pressure (0.5–10 kPa), temperature (22–60 °C), vibration (35–100 Hz), and texture (2.5–45 Hz), suitable for daily use. The e-skin, attached to a prosthetic finger, is tested for feasibility on human volunteers with wrist-mounted actuators. Statistics are used to quantitatively assess system performance. The integration of multiplexed sensors and actuators enhances tactile feedback, improving the quality of life for people with upper limb amputations.

Air pollution is a major global concern, leading to serious health problems and environmental damage. This article provides a comprehensive review of historical and current methods used to monitor and predict air quality. It emphasizes the ongoing need for better monitoring techniques. 47 studies are critically analyzed, and computational advancements in air quality monitoring are categorized into sensor-based and image-based techniques. This review reveals that sensor-based algorithmic methods, representing 62% of the reviewed literature, are reliable but often lack flexibility and real-time monitoring capabilities. On the other hand, image-based techniques, while innovative, are limited by the size and diversity of datasets, primarily functioning only during daylight hours. To address these limitations, a hybrid approach that integrates both sensor and image-based methods is proposed. This aims to enhance monitoring by allowing users to visualize pollution levels through an augmented reality layer. The proposed model seeks to provide mobile users with the ability to accurately monitor surrounding air quality by establishing a comprehensive image-based dataset that includes various features not previously considered in existing datasets.

The synergy resulting from the high conductivity of graphene and catalytic properties of metal nanoparticle has been a resource to improve the activity and functionality of electrochemical sensors. This work focuses on the simultaneous synthesis of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) and laser-induced graphene (LIG) derived from paper, through a one-step laser processing approach. A chromatography paper substrate with drop-casted copper sulfate is used for the fabrication of this hybrid material, characterized in terms of its morphological, chemical, and conductive properties. Appealing conductive properties are achieved, with sheet resistance of 170 Ω sq⁻¹ being reached, while chemical characterization confirms the simultaneous synthesis of the conductive carbon electrode material and metallic copper nanostructures. Using optimized laser synthesis and patterning conditions, LIG/CuNPs-based working electrodes are fabricated within a three-electrode planar cell, and their electrochemical performance is assessed against pristine LIG electrodes, demonstrating good electron transfer kinetics appropriate for electrochemical sensing. The sensor's ability to detect glucose through a non-enzymatic route is optimized, to assure good sensing performance in standard samples and in artificial sweat complex matrix.

Research on implantable glucose biosensors is driven by the need for innovative medical devices for continuous glucose monitoring in patients with diabetes mellitus. However, biosensor sterilization is a step that is widely omitted during the process of innovation. To compare the effects of gamma irradiation and chemical treatment with ethylene oxide (carbon microarray electrodes are fabricated, functionalized with glucose oxidizing enzymes (cellobiose dehydrogenase CDH or glucose oxidase GOx), and coated with a specifically designed zwitterionic polymer prior to the sterilization step. Cyclic voltammetry in the presence of 100 mm glucose of the biosensors before and after sterilization shows that gamma irradiation with a low radiation rate (25 kGy, 260 Gy h⁻¹) does not induce a sensor performance loss, unlike the EtO treatment. In addition, no cytotoxic by-products are released after gamma sterilization. Based on these results obtained with both glucose oxidizing enzymes (CDH and GOx), gamma irradiation of the glucose biosensors with a low dose rate is preferable to exposure to EtO for biosensor terminal sterilization.

 Recently, significant progress has been made regarding conductive hydrogels-based flexible sensors in health detection, electronic skin, soft robots, etc. However, the requirement of bonding with the substrate through the adhesive tape, brokenness sensitivity, and degradation of performance under low-temperature environments, strongly limit the wide applications of conductive hydrogels in flexible sensors. To solve these problems, this study introduces lithium chloride (LiCl) into poly(vinyl alcohol)/tannic acid/polyacrylamide (PVA/TA/PAM) hydrogels to endow the hydrogels with excellent conductivity and antifreeze properties. In addition, the addition of tannic acid (TA) and zwitterionic 3-[Dimethyl-[2-(2-methylprop-2-enoyloxy)ethyl]azaniumyl]propane-1-sulfonate (SBMA) enables the hydrogel to have good self-healing performance (after 72 h of healing at 20 °C, the healing efficiency of fracture stress is 24%, and the healing efficiency of fracture strain is 52%) and adhesion (the adhesion strength to paper at 20 °C is 14.12 KPa). The sensors based on PVA/TA/PAM composite hydrogels exhibit good sensibility, stability, and durability, and can respond quickly to human joint activities (finger bending, wrist bending, arm bending, and leg bending). Therefore, the multifunctional PVA/TA/PAM composite hydrogel demonstrates significant potential for applications in flexible strain sensors under extreme environments.

This mini-review explores the evolution of image sensors, essential electronic components increasingly integrated into daily life. Traditional manufacturing methods for image sensors and photodetectors, employing high carbon footprint techniques like thermal evaporation and chemical vapor deposition, are being replaced by environmentally conscious solution processing. Organic and Colloidal Quantum Dot-based image sensors emerge as promising candidates, aligning with the shift toward solution-based device integration. This review provides insights into the working principles of photodetectors and image sensors, summarizing relevant materials and fabrication approaches. Additionally, it delves into the detailed exploration of pixelated patterning techniques and their potential applications in the realm of solution-processed image sensor fabrication.

Smart Monitoring Hydrogel Sensors

In article 2400003, Hong Zhang, Yang Luo, and co-workers report advancements in smart hydrogel sensors for health monitoring and early warning. Leveraging the biocompatible properties of hydrogels, these sensors facilitate continuous, precise monitoring of various physiological parameters. The review highlights the mechanisms of these sensors, their benefits for medical diagnostics, and directions for future research. It also explores their potential in various medical scenarios, such as disease monitoring and management, underscoring the need for further clinical validation.