Wearable Battery-Free Wireless Sensor Network Devices for Health Monitoring

Abstract

This chapter investigates the basic principles and applications of battery-free sensors (BFS), emphasizing their revolutionary capacity within sensor technologies via sustainable and maintenance-free configurations. Through the energy harvesting techniques such as light, radio waves, vibrations, and mechanical energy, BFS eradicates the reliance on conventional power sources, thereby facilitating prolonged operational lifetimes and deployment in remote or adverse conditions. It analyzes the integration of biosensor technology into wearable devices, focusing on health monitoring and real-time data acquisition. It discusses challenges in energy harvesting, sensor integration, and user comfort with case studies in biosensors, RFID systems, and near-field communication (NFC). Additionally, it highlights developments in materials like MXenes and graphene that enhance the flexibility, biocompatibility, and performance of BFS. The chapter delineates prospective pathways and envisions BFS as a basic element of future sensor networks that would propel advancements across various sectors.