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Wearable ultrasensitive and rapid human physiological monitoring based on microfiber Sagnac interferometer

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Abstract

High-sensitive and fast-responding flexible strain sensors are essential for the smart wearable devices that precisely and dynamically perceive the weak deformations induced by human physiological signals. Here, a flexible strain sensor via polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-encapsulated microfiber Sagnac interferometer was designed and prepared for monitoring the human pulse signals and sound vibrations. The sensor achieved a record-breaking sensitivity (gauge factor, GF = 9977) and an extremely low detection limit (0.00025%) due to the strong polarization-dependent coupling effect in the microfiber coupler and the polarization-mixing effect in the Sagnac loop. The relative intensity demodulation method also enabled a fast response time of 10 µs. The wearable pulse measurements were implemented by attaching this flexible strain sensor directly to human skin at various locations and the waveform details were accurately captured. Taking advantage of the ultra-high sensitivity and fast response performance of the prepared sensor, the real-time dynamic acquisition of the underwater weak signal, such as the hydro-acoustic waves with a wide range of 20 Hz–16.86 kHz, has been demonstrated. These initial results pave the way for a new and innovative category of underwater wearable devices with rapid detection of human physiological signals and weak environmental vibrations.

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Acknowledgements

This work was partially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 62075064), Local Innovative and Research Teams Project of Guangdong Pearl River Talents Program (Grant No. 2017BT01X137), Key R&D Program of Guangzhou (Grant No. 202007020003), Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (Grant Nos. 2021B1515020095, 2021A1515110919), Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No. 2022ZYGXZR003), and Research Fund of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Intelligent Micro-Nano Optoelectronic Technology (Grant No. 2020B1212030010).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory Luminescent Materials and Devices, Institute of Optical Communication Materials, Special Glass Fiber and Device Engineering Technology Research and Development Center of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fiber Laser Materials and Applied Techniques, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China

    Xin Wang, Hongyou Zhou, Meihua Chen, Yongcheng He, Jiulin Gan & Zhongmin Yang

  2. Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Intelligent Micro-Nano Optoelectronic Technology, Foshan University, Foshan, 528000, China

    Zhishen Zhang

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  1. Xin Wang
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  2. Hongyou Zhou
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  3. Meihua Chen
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  4. Yongcheng He
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  5. Zhishen Zhang
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  6. Jiulin Gan
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  7. Zhongmin Yang
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Correspondence to Zhishen Zhang or Jiulin Gan.

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Wang, X., Zhou, H., Chen, M. et al. Wearable ultrasensitive and rapid human physiological monitoring based on microfiber Sagnac interferometer. Sci. China Inf. Sci. 67, 132403 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11432-023-3870-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11432-023-3870-1

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