Recent developments in wearable breath sensors for healthcare monitoring

Abstract

Within the breath lie numerous health indicators, encompassing respiratory patterns and biomarkers extending beyond respiratory conditions to cardiovascular health. Recently, the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has not only underscored the necessity of on-the-spot breath analysis but has also normalized the use of masks in everyday life. Simultaneously, the rapid evolution of wearable technology has given rise to innovative healthcare monitoring tools, with a specific emphasis on wearable breath sensors. This review explores current research trends in utilizing wearable breathing sensors to detect diverse respiratory biomarkers and monitor respiratory parameters, including airflow, temperature, and humidity. Additionally, it explores diverse applications, ranging from recognizing breathing patterns to swiftly detecting diseases. Integrating the Internet of Things and machine learning technologies into these applications highlights their potential to offer a personalized, accurate, and efficient healthcare solution. Human breath contains a vast amount of information that might be used to indicate respiratory and cardiovascular health. This Review summarizes and discusses recent advances in wearable breath sensors for monitoring breath temperature, humidity and airflow, as well as biomarker presence.