The role of optical fiber sensors in the new generation of healthcare devices: a review

This paper presents a review of optical sensor systems for wearable applications aiming at the new demands on healthcare motivated not only by the new paradigms in internet of things, but also in photonics development and artificial intelligence algorithms. In this context, the overview of musculoskeletal disorders and the role of wearable sensor systems in such applications are discussed. In addition, there is a comprehensive discussion of the components of wearable sensor systems with the novel developments and approaches in different wearable applications. Thus, the optical fiber sensor developments, approaches and applications are discussed for their use in smart textiles, biosensors and intrusive applications. Moreover, new developments on power supplies are discussed aiming at self-powered sensor systems. Therefore, this review paper can aid in the development of the new generation of wearable sensor systems in healthcare applications using optical fiber sensors and general optical based sensors, which can overcome or mitigate the shortcomings of conventional sensor technologies.