Wearable Lateral Flow Patch for Noninvasive Sweat Protein Monitoring

Traditional protein analysis methods rely on invasive sample collection and professional operators, which is not conducive to in situ monitoring. Despite recent advancements in wearable sweat sensors enabling noninvasive monitoring of various biochemical small molecules (e.g., electrolytes, metabolites, nutrients, and hormones), the simple, stable, and sensitive detection of protein biomarkers in sweat remains challenging and underexplored. Herein, we report a wearable sweat sensing patch (WSSP) integrated with lateral flow biosensing technology, which enables noninvasive, real-time, specific, and sensitive detection of inflammatory factors in sweat, such as C-reactive protein (CRP). The patch seamlessly integrates gentle self-heating sweat induction, flexible microfluidics, and lateral flow immunoassay on human epidermis, achieving an all-in-one platform for in situ sweat generation, collection, transport, and detection. The colorimetric signal can be acquired using a smartphone-integrated detection box and accurately interpreted through machine learning algorithms. The WSSP can monitor sweat CRP levels both at rest and during exercise, reflecting dynamic changes before and after exercise and revealing potential inflammatory responses. The wearable lateral flow patch advances wearable sensor technologies toward sweat protein detection, laying the foundation for its further clinical application.