Polymer optical fibres in healthcare: solutions, applications and implications. A perspective: Polymer optical fibres in healthcare

Polymer optical fibres are increasingly being used for medical applications, e.g. as wearable devices for diagnostics or therapeutics. Due to the multitude of applications and the corresponding restrictions and prerequisites, the properties of these optical fibres are fine-tuned to their specific application. Regarding wearables and continuous, unobtrusive long-term monitoring, a very low burden is reached when the integration into textiles is complete and the wearer's comfort is ensured. Here, we discuss a selection of recent solutions within wearable photonic sensors. Integration processes are highlighted so as to provide insight for further development. Finally, implications of long-term monitoring are discussed including data mining. The effect of knowing one's vitals on society is highlighted as a relevant influence on medical care. If ubiquitous monitoring were realized for a high percentage of the population, concerns can arise regarding the long-term reliability of photonic sensors as well as ethical use of patient data. (C) 2017 Society of Chemical Industry