A flexible, liquid-metal patch offers real-time, comfortable, and highly accurate blood pressure tracking.
A research team at Seoul National University’s College of Engineering, led by Professor Seung Hwan Ko of the Wearable Soft Electronics Lab, has created a bandage-like electronic device that can continuously monitor blood pressure in real time.
The patch, made from liquid metal circuits, adheres to the skin and offers a comfortable, accurate alternative to bulky cuff-based monitors.
Unlike traditional devices, which only provide one-time measurements and can be uncomfortable for long-term use, the new wearable measures both systolic and diastolic pressure with every heartbeat.
It works by detecting the time difference between electrical signals (ECG) and mechanical pulse signals reaching the wrist — a gap that shortens when blood pressure is high and lengthens when it is low.
To build the patch, researchers overcame the challenge of shaping liquid metal — which is highly conductive but has strong surface tension — using a “laser sintering” process to precisely form flexible circuits. The resulting device can stretch up to 700% of its length, endure over 10,000 stretches, and still deliver high-fidelity ECG and heart rate data.
In tests, the wearable tracked rapid blood pressure changes during and after exercise more accurately than standard cuffs. The technology could benefit patients with hypertension by enabling continuous home monitoring, and it holds potential for integration into smartwatches, medical patches, and fitness gear.
“This research challenges the conventional belief that blood pressure measurement is inconvenient and limited to once a day,” said Professor Ko. “It opens the door to noninvasive, real-time monitoring that can improve quality of life.”
Future work will focus on integrating wireless communication, new materials, and AI-powered analysis to expand the device’s healthcare applications.
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The study is published in Advanced Functional Materials.
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