Electrophoretic digital colorimetry integrated with electrochemical sweat sensor

Authors: Daeun Sung, Seunghun Han, Sumin Kim, Heeseok Kang, Bon Jekal, Giheon Kim, Jaewon Kim, Minki Hong, Gyounghwan Moon, Sungeun Kim, Yerim Lee, Suk-Won Hwang, Hyoyoung Jeong, Yong-Sang Ryu, Sungbong Kim, Jahyun Koo

Published: 2025-03-28

DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adu2142

Source: Full article


Abstract

Recent advancements in wearable sweat sensors, which use standardized electrochemical and colorimetric mechanisms, offer holistic representation of health status for users. However, the constraints of standardized sweat sensors present ongoing challenges to realization of personalized health management. This study presents an electrocolorimetric (EC) platform that enables the reversible and multiple-time use of colorimetric data visualization using electrophoretic display (EPD). This platform represents the application of low-power EPD in epidermal sweat sensor, evaluated through CIELAB-based methodology which is the first systematic evaluation tool of wearable display performance. Moreover, our platform has been demonstrated in human exercise trials for its ability to detect the lactate threshold (LT). This digital colorimetric system has the potential to play a pivotal role by integrating various health monitoring biomarkers. While providing real-time, continuous, and adjustable range information with high sensitivity, this platform validates its extensive probability as a next-generation wearable epidermal sensor.