Recent Progress on Smart Fiber and Textile Based Wearable Strain Sensors: Materials, Fabrications and Applications

With the rapid development of smart products, flexible and stretchable smart wearable electronic devices gradually play an important role, and they are considered as the pioneers of the new generation of flexible electronic devices. Among these intelligent devices, flexible and stretchable strain sensors have been widely studied for their good flexibility, high sensitivity, high repeatability and huge potential for application in personal healthcare and motion detection. Moreover, unlike traditional rigid bulky sensors, the high-performance flexible strain sensors are lightweight portable devices with excellent mechanical and electrical performance, which can meet personalized needs and become more popular. Herein, the research progress of flexible strain sensors in recent years are reviewed, which mainly introducing the sensing principles and key parameters of strain sensors, commonly used conductive materials and flexible substrates and common preparation methods, and finally proposes the future application and prospects of strain sensors.Graphical abstract