IIT Jodhpur Develops Flexible Semiconductor Wearables for Real-Time Health Monitoring & Early Disease Detection

The researchers are also building soft ECG patches for cardiac assessment, EMG-based systems for muscle tracking, and pressure and temperature sensors to identify early signs of complications like pressure ulcers.

The Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur has developed next-generation flexible semiconductor devices capable of continuously tracking physiological signals, enabling early disease detection while offering comfortable, real-time monitoring through wearable, skin-conformal technologies.

The research is being conducted at the HESTECH Lab, led by Dr Akshay Moudgil from the Department of Electrical Engineering. The initiative addresses a longstanding gap in healthcare systems, where continuous monitoring remains largely confined to hospitals, limiting early diagnosis, especially in resource-constrained settings.

At the core of this innovation is the Organic Electrochemical Transistor (OECT), an advanced semiconductor architecture that enables seamless interaction with biological systems.

Unlike rigid electronics, OECT-based platforms support both electrical and biochemical sensing, allowing a single device to capture signals such as heart rate, muscle activity, temperature, and pressure, alongside disease-related biomarkers from fluids like saliva and blood.

Dr Moudgil explained that the team is exploring whether a single semiconductor platform can simultaneously capture the body's power activities and disease-related biochemical signals.

The lab has focused on developing low-power, biocompatible devices using hybrid semiconductor materials fabricated on ultra-thin, flexible substrates. These characteristics make the sensors suitable for prolonged use without discomfort, enabling continuous, non-invasive monitoring in everyday settings.

Early prototypes have demonstrated stable performance even under conditions such as heat, sweat, and extended wear.

Furthermore, the researchers are building soft ECG patches for cardiac assessment, EMG-based systems for muscle tracking, and pressure and temperature sensors to identify early signs of complications like pressure ulcers.

Additionally, biochemical sensors under development aim to detect clinically relevant disease markers, potentially enabling point-of-care diagnostics in dental clinics, rural health camps, and mobile healthcare units.

The technology also presents strong use cases in defence and extreme environments. Integrated into wearable gear or uniforms, these flexible sensors could track indicators such as cardiac load, dehydration, fatigue, heat stress, and muscle strain in real time.

“During military exercises or challenging field operations, this device will provide commanders with real-time information about soldiers' cardiac load (stress on the heart), dehydration (water deficiency), fatigue, heat stress, and muscle strain. This will greatly help in reducing stress-related injuries of troops deployed in the field and making timely decisions in challenging situations,” Dr Moudgil said.

Developed in collaboration with All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, the project reflects a growing push toward translational research in India’s semiconductor and digital health ecosystem.

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