Multi-sensing yarns for continuous wireless sweat lactate monitoring

Textile integrated sensors based on conductive, electrochemically active microfibers can enable inexpensive, nearly invisible distributed sensing of sweat in clothing. Reduced graphene oxide fibers are mechanically robust, conductive, and can be easily functionalized to form a variety of sensors with properties comparable to planar fabricated sensors, given their ability to work both as electrical interconnections and as a base electrode. Here, we present an electrochemical yarn based on modified dry-spun reduced graphene oxide fibers. This braided format contains reference, counter electrode, a lactate-responsive fiber functionalized with lactate oxidase, and a pH-sensing fiber for calibration in a single, robust, weavable format. This electrochemical yarn was integrated into a demonstrator wearable textile-patch capable of continuous data collection and wireless data transmitted to an ad-hoc app. The yarns perform comparably to traditional probes in a format of broad utility for standalone or integrated monitoring of physiological parameters.

Bradley Napier, Giusy Matzeu, Fiorenzo G. Omenetto