Wearable sensors for cardiorespiratory monitoring: solutions and applications

This work aims at proposing a literature overview of the most popular wearable devices that exploit a single measurement technique for respiratory rate (RR) and heart rate (HR) monitoring. These sensing solutions are grouped into systems based on strain, vibration, and biopotential sensing. For each group, background and working principle are detailed with information on the main solutions proposed in terms of design and composition materials. Moreover, the study covers the description of the key signal processing techniques employed to extract RR and HR from raw data recorded by the wearable devices. Finally, a description of the main application scenarios, with particular emphasis on clinical, sports, and occupational settings, and a brief overview of system performance in these contexts are provided. Challenges and future prospects are also discussed, offering a comprehensive view of these systems and potential advancements for enhancing their real-world applicability.