Recent developments of emerging inorganic, metal and carbon-based nanomaterials for pressure sensors and their healthcare monitoring applications

Recently, flexible pressure sensors have gained substantial research interest in bioelectronics because they can monitor the conditions of various organs, enable early diagnosis of diseases, and provide precise medical treatment by applying them to various parts of the body. In particular, inorganic materials, metal and carbon-based materials are broadly used in novel structured pressure sensors from wearable devices to implantable devices. With the excellent electronic properties, distinctive morphologies, and remarkable mechanical and chemical stability of these materials, it is expected that these flexible pressure sensors can be the basis for new methods for human healthcare. This article covers an extensive review of the inorganic, metal and carbon-based flexible pressure sensor design strategies and sensing mechanisms studied in recent years for diverse applications such as tactile sensors, arterial pulse sensors, intracranial pressure sensors, intraocular pressure sensors, and bladder pressure sensors. Each section provides an overview by introducing the recent progress in flexible pressure sensors. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]