Tiny electronic skin patch enables continuous blood pressure monitoring

High blood pressure has become one of the most pressing health challenges worldwide, affecting well over a billion people. Yet only about one in five individuals manages the condition effectively, a sobering figure that continues to drive medical research into better monitoring tools.

Traditional devices, such as inflatable cuffs, often prove bulky, uncomfortable, and unsuitable for daily use, leaving people without the means to track their blood pressure continuously. This gap has long hindered early detection and effective management of cardiovascular risk.

Now, researchers have unveiled a breakthrough in wearable technology: a flexible electronic patch that attaches to the skin like a bandage and records blood pressure in real time. Developed by a team led by Professor Seung Hwan Ko at the Wearable Soft Electronics Lab of Seoul National University, the device promises to transform how people track and understand their cardiovascular health.

Most people are familiar with the cuff-based blood pressure monitors used in clinics or at home. These devices rely on inflatable bladders that compress the arm to measure pressure. While useful for single readings, they are inconvenient for continuous monitoring.

The cuffs can pinch, limit movement, and are easily affected by stress or incorrect placement. Because of these limitations, the devices fail to capture dynamic changes in blood pressure that occur throughout the day during activities, rest, or exercise.

This inability to monitor blood pressure continuously is more than an inconvenience. Fluctuations in pressure often carry critical information about heart health. Without the ability to track these variations, doctors and patients may miss early warning signs of disease.

Cardiovascular conditions remain a leading cause of death globally, making real-time and long-term monitoring not only desirable but essential.

To solve the problem, Professor Ko’s team designed a wearable patch that reads the body’s own electrical and mechanical signals. Every heartbeat generates two distinct events: an electrical pulse, recorded as an electrocardiogram (ECG), and a mechanical wave that pushes blood through vessels, creating tiny movements in the skin.

The time it takes for these two signals to reach the wrist is linked directly to blood pressure. When blood pressure is high, blood travels faster, shortening the gap between the electrical and mechanical signals. When it is lower, the delay grows. By detecting and analyzing this time difference with each heartbeat, the patch provides a continuous and highly accurate measurement of systolic and diastolic pressure.

Capturing such subtle skin changes is no simple task. The team turned to an unusual but promising material: liquid metal. Unlike solid conductors, this material remains fluid at room temperature, stretches easily, and conducts electricity well. Its skin-like elasticity makes it ideal for wearable electronics.

Working with liquid metal was not without hurdles. Its high surface tension makes it difficult to shape into precise circuits. To overcome this, the researchers developed a process known as laser sintering. In this technique, fine particles of liquid metal are fused into place using a focused laser beam, creating flexible yet stable circuits exactly where they are needed.

The result is a soft electronic patch that adheres naturally to the skin and retains its function even under extreme conditions. Tests showed that the device worked accurately even when stretched to seven times its original length or after more than 10,000 stretching cycles. This durability ensures reliable performance during exercise, daily activities, or long-term wear.

The research team tested the device by monitoring blood pressure before, during, and after exercise. The patch captured rapid rises in pressure during activity and tracked recovery afterward with precision that exceeded traditional cuff-based devices.

This demonstrated the patch’s ability to monitor cardiovascular activity in dynamic, real-life settings. Such accuracy makes the device particularly valuable for people with hypertension, often called the “silent killer” because it can cause severe damage without obvious symptoms. With the patch, patients could monitor their condition anytime, anywhere, without visiting a clinic.

The new patch offers more than medical convenience. Its ability to capture blood pressure in real time opens the door to personalized health insights. For athletes and fitness enthusiasts, the device could provide detailed data for tailored exercise programs. In workplace settings, it could help monitor employees in physically demanding jobs or high-stress environments. In hospitals, it could be used for intensive care monitoring without cumbersome wires or frequent cuff readings.

Professor Ko emphasized the significance of this advance, stating, “This research challenges the conventional belief that blood pressure measurement is inconvenient and sufficient only once a day. Our system proposes a new healthcare interface capable of detecting and analyzing physiological signals noninvasively and in real time.”

Co–first authors Jung Jae Park and Sangwoo Hong are already working on next steps. Their goal is to improve the device further by adding wireless communication features, exploring new substrate materials, and integrating artificial intelligence for advanced data analysis. These enhancements could make the technology even more practical and versatile, extending its applications to smartwatches, patch-style sensors, or even smart clothing.

The research, supported by Seoul National University’s Global Excellence Research Center establishment project and conducted in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University, was published in Advanced Functional Materials, a top-ranked journal in materials science. The device’s potential impact is broad: it could accelerate the arrival of a healthcare era where disease prevention and management occur seamlessly in daily life.

Continuous health tracking with such a patch could give billions of people the chance to detect problems earlier and make informed lifestyle changes. For those with hypertension or at risk of cardiovascular disease, it offers new hope for a longer, healthier life.

The story of this flexible blood pressure patch is not just about cutting-edge science. It is about reimagining how we engage with our health—moving from occasional checkups to continuous awareness.

With this innovation, the possibility of preventing serious illness becomes more attainable, and the future of healthcare feels more personal, practical, and within reach.

Note: The article above provided above by The Brighter Side of News.

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