Soft, skin-interfaced wearable systems for sports science and analytics

Connected wearable biosensors are a critical part of athletic performance analysis, injury and recovery time assessment, and hydration analytics, enabling elite athletes, trainers, and coaches to characterize the daily demands of sports. However, existing classes of wearable biosensors are constrained to a few body locations and tend to limit mobility due to their bulky size and weight. Recent advances in soft and stretchable skin-interfaced wearable sensors capable of real-time physiological monitoring and in situ sweat collection provide capabilities for real-time continuous motion, physiology, and biochemical analysis in an imperceptible mode from any location on the body. This review presents an overview of the latest developments in skin-interfaced wearable sensor technologies with an emphasis on soft materials and stretchable designs most suitable in sports. We conclude with a summary of unresolved challenges, opportunities, and future directions facing the field of sports science and analytics.