Review—Energy and Power Requirements for Wearable Sensors

Abstract

Wearable sensing technology has quickly transformed from a science-fiction vision to a real-life technology in various fields such as defense, medical sciences, aerospace technology, food tech, etc. Wearable devices are drawing attention in the medical field as they provide relevant information about people’s health in real-time. These sensors are flexible, cost-effective, and highly sensitive, which makes them a favorable candidate for future sensing technology. Despite being relatively small, they frequently sense, collect, and upload a variety of physiological data to enhance quality of life. This could lead to a major change in the daily life of people, but for this change to happen, sustainable energy technology that can power flexible wearable devices is needed. Wearable sensors come in a variety of shapes and sizes and require energy for their proper functioning. As a result, it is critical to develop and choose dependable energy supply systems. This review paper discusses different energy sources that are used to power wearable devices along with various challenges that are in the realm of this technology. The future holds great possibilities for wearable sensing technology, which can be explored only if the power sourcing to these devices is more sustainable, eco-friendly, and efficient.