Search

Portable optical biosensors have been created over the last 30 years for detecting molecular and cellular targets. More recently, advances in algorithms, readers, and materials have expanded the applications of optical biosensors with the use of handheld, wearable and implantable sensor platforms. In this paper, a variety of materials supporting the biomolecular recognition and amplification approaches are discussed along with their systems-level advantages for integration with optical readers and advanced algorithms. Based on the needs of underserved populations, opportunities for translating such optical biosensing systems to the point-of-care are also covered. Vision of self-sufficient handheld, wearable, and wearable with injectable implantable optical biosensing platforms, that can be used for point-of-care testing, with numbered categories of innovation. Created with BioRender.com. [Display omitted] • Innovations in optical biosensing are categorized by algorithms, optical readers, and materials. • Challenges faced by underserved populations are summarized, and solutions from each innovation area (algorithms, optical readers, materials) are proposed. • Opportunities for translating the technologies to point-of-care systems are discussed. • Emerging form factors (i.e., wearable, implantable) are featured alongside classical form factors (benchtop, handheld). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]