Recent advances in materials science, manufacturing processes, and system integration have propelled electronic devices beyond conventional electrical properties, introducing unique capabilities like flexibility, stretchability, twistability, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. The emergence of smart functional devices conforming to intricate 3D surfaces, dissolving in relevant environments, and interfacing with biological systems, holds paramount significance for developing environmental sensors, on-body wearables, implantable devices, and sustainable precision agriculture solutions.

This presentation highlights recent advancements in unconventional sensing technologies, emphasizing their seamless integration into sustainable applications. The talk begins with a focus on wearable sensors for sports applications. Specifically, we present the development and validation of printed textile-based strain sensors able to monitor the breathing rate during different activities the design and fabrication of flexible electrolyte gated field-effect transistors functionalized with an ion-selective membrane for the detection of ammonium in sweat, and the development of wearable and soft triboelectric pressure sensors for real-time pulse monitoring and gait analysis. Next, we move from human wearables to plant wearables, demonstrating how bioimpedance methods can be employed for an effective monitoring of both plants and fruits, thanks to the combination of customized printed electrodes, portable impedance analyzers, and ad-hoc developed machine learning classification algorithms. We also show how printed impedimetric paper-based sensors enable unobtrusive monitoring of plant health, also in outdoor real-case scenarios. Lastly, we illuminate the sustainable and circular potential of these unobtrusive sensors, achieved through the integration of naturally derived materials.

This presentation through innovative sensing technologies underscores their pivotal role in addressing contemporary challenges, promoting sustainability, and fostering the evolution of environmentally conscious electronic solutions.

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