Systems Level Approaches for on-Body Sensing Devices

The NSF Nanosystems Engineering Research Center (NERC) for Advanced Self-Powered Systems of Integrated Sensors and Technologies (ASSIST) is aimed at develop and employ nano-enabled energy harvesting and storage, nanodevices and sensors to create innovative battery-free, body-powered, and wearable health monitoring systems.  These sensor systems will result in a paradigm shift in health informatics enabled by wearable nanotechnologies that monitor individual health parameters and environmental exposures. Long-term sensing will enable patients, doctors, and scientists to make direct correlations between health and environmental toxins leading to chronic disease prediction, management and treatment. ASSIST advances will accelerate environmental health research and clinical trials as well as inform environmental policy.  Effort will be described related to the challenges in the integration of fundamental nanotechnology research in ASSIST into practical, wearable devices.  Particular focus will be placed on integration challenges as it relates to energy harvesting from the body, system level low-power sensing strategies, and improving the device-skin interface for long term wearability.