A team of researchers at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), led by Professor Hnin Yin Yin Nyein of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, has created a new wearable health sensor called HELP, short for heteromodal epidermal liquid-metal patch.

The device uses liquid-metal technology to monitor breathing patterns and heart activity simultaneously. Designed to be soft, flexible, and comfortable against the skin, the patch could eventually make continuous health monitoring more accessible to people with chronic respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, allowing them to track important health signals from home without invasive procedures, reports HKUST.

Chronic respiratory illnesses such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affect millions of people and contribute significantly to declining health and hospital admissions worldwide. Diagnosing and managing these conditions often requires assessments conducted in specialized medical facilities, making regular monitoring outside clinical settings challenging.

Wearable sensors could help bridge this gap by collecting health data during everyday activities. However, developing devices that perform reliably over long periods has proved difficult. A sensor must be sensitive enough to detect subtle movements associated with breathing and heart function while maintaining consistent readings during extended use.

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Liquid metals offer a potential solution because they combine electrical conductivity with exceptional flexibility. Unlike conventional rigid electronic materials, they can accommodate repeated bending and stretching while experiencing very little mechanical fatigue, making them attractive for skin-mounted wearable devices.

To manufacture HELP, the research team introduced a straightforward, scalable technique that uses stencil brushing to apply liquid metal patterns onto a prepared substrate. This manufacturing approach could simplify production, reduce costs, and make the technology suitable for large-scale manufacturing.

By combining a flexible design with simultaneous respiratory and cardiac monitoring, HELP represents a promising development in wearable healthcare technology. Further research and clinical validation will be important to establish its performance in everyday use and determine how effectively it can support long-term home monitoring.