Flexible, multiplexed and wearable biosensor with automatic sweat processing capability for non-invasive interleukin-6 protein monitoring

Wearable sweat sensors offer significant potential for early risk assessment of acute critical illnesses in individuals with cardiovascular disease. However, the complexity of patient’s prodromal symptoms can significantly impede the effective monitoring of sweat proteins. In this context, we present a wearable multimodal detection system that integrates biomimetic microfluidics with multi-channel field-effect transistor (FET) sensors. This system is capable of simultaneously quantifying multiple sweat indicators, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), pH, and temperature. The serrated microfluidics enable rapid, automatic transport of sweat. The multi-channel FET sensors facilitate direct detection of IL-6 protein in real sweat, within a detection range from 1 fM to 1 nM. The detection system demonstrates high electrical stability and skin compliance, even under extreme deformations. The research findings suggest that this system holds significant promise for identifying abnormal physiological states via multiple sweat indicators, thereby enabling risk assessment of acute critical illnesses in patients with cardiovascular disease.