Article Impact Level: HIGH Data Quality: STRONG Summary of Advanced Functional Materials, 2505089. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202505089 Dr. Jung Jae Park et al.
Points
- Researchers have created a wearable electronic patch using laser-sintered liquid metal that adheres to the skin for continuous, real-time blood pressure monitoring without the need for a cuff.
- The system operates by precisely measuring the time difference between the heart’s electrical signal and the mechanical pulse wave as they travel to the wrist.
- This innovative liquid metal material provides excellent conductivity and can be stretched to 700% of its original length while maintaining performance through over 10,000 cycles.
- The device successfully tracked dynamic blood pressure fluctuations during exercise and recovery, demonstrating its capability for monitoring real-world physiological changes more effectively than intermittent measurements.
- This technology is poised to revolutionize personal health management for patients with hypertension and has broad industrial potential for integration into smartwatches and other wearable medical devices.
Summary
Addressing the limitations of conventional sphygmomanometers in managing hypertension, which affects an estimated 1.3 billion people globally, with only 21% achieving effective control, a research team has developed a novel continuous blood pressure monitoring system. This system, developed by a collaboration between Seoul National University and Carnegie Mellon University and published in Advanced Functional Materials, takes the form of a soft, wearable electronic patch. It eliminates the need for a cuff by operating on the principle of pulse transit time, continuously measuring the temporal difference between the heart’s electrical signals (electrocardiogram) and the resulting mechanical pulse waves detected at the wrist to calculate systolic and diastolic pressure.
The core of the device consists of conductors fabricated from laser-sintered liquid metal, a process designed to overcome the material’s high surface tension and enable the precise patterning of circuits. This method yields a sensor that is inherently conductive, stretchable, and biocompatible, allowing for seamless conformity to the skin to capture both electrical and mechanical cardiac signals with high fidelity. The resulting patch demonstrates exceptional mechanical resilience, maintaining full functionality even when stretched to 700% of its original length and after enduring over 10,000 repetitive stretch cycles, making it suitable for long-term use in dynamic, real-world environments.
In proof-of-concept testing, the system successfully monitored and recorded the dynamic changes in blood pressure before, during, and after physical exercise, including the recovery phase. This capability to capture real-time physiological data non-invasively presents a significant advancement over intermittent cuff-based measurements. The technology is anticipated to provide a practical tool for improved management of cardiovascular conditions, with future development focused on integrating wireless communication and AI-driven data analytics to enhance its clinical utility in intensive care, remote patient monitoring, and personalized health management.
Link to the article: https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adfm.202505089
References Park, J. J., Hong, S., Jung, Y., Won, P., Majidi, C., Kim, M., & Ko, S. H. (2025). Highly sensitive cuffless blood pressure monitoring with selective laser‐sintered liquid metal conductors. Advanced Functional Materials, 2505089. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202505089
