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78 PCB007 MAGAZINE I NOVEMBER 2023 ple, they could detect irregular heart rhythms and recommend when to seek medical atten- tion or suggest personalized exercise routines based on your fitness goals and health status. With AI-driven algorithms, wearables will become true health partners, helping you make informed decisions about your well-being. Connectivity and Data Security Another critical aspect of monitoring health is connectivity and data security. Soon, wear- ables will seamlessly sync with your smart- phone and share data with your healthcare pro- vider, ensuring that you receive timely feed- back and support. However, this connectivity also raises con- cerns about data privacy and security. e future of wearable health monitors will include robust encryption and data protection mea- sures to protect your health information from prying eyes. A Wearable Health Monitor Renaissance As we peer into the future, it's clear that wearable health monitors are on the brink of powerful developments. E-textiles, flexible circuits, advanced sensors, energy harvesting, smart algorithms, and robust connectivity are converging to create a new era of personalized health monitoring. ese electronic innova- tions promise to make wearables more com- fortable, more user-friendly, and empower individuals to take charge of their health in unprecedented ways. So, watch the horizon for the next wave of wearable health monitor innovation. PCB007 Henry Crandall is the IPC Stu- dent Board Member. He is a graduate of University of Utah and currently pursuing a PhD in electrical engineering as the Advancing Research in College Scientists Graduate Fellow. To read past columns, click here. In the future, your health monitor might resemble a sleek band that molds itself to your wrist's contours or a patch that adheres comfort- ably to your skin. Flexible circuits enable these innovative designs, making wearables more dis- creet and user-friendly than ever before. Advanced Sensors Sensors are the heart and soul of any health monitor, and the next generation of wear- ables is poised to introduce an impressive array of advanced sensors. Imagine a device that measures your heart rate and detects early signs of dehydration by analyzing the electro- lytes in your sweat, or a wearable that tracks your blood glucose levels in real-time, pro- viding invaluable data for people with diabe- tes. Advanced sensors, including optical, bio- chemical, and environmental sensors, will take health monitoring to unprecedented levels of accuracy and usefulness. Stay tuned for a future article previewing my cutting-edge PhD research on a smartwatch blood pressure sensor. Energy Harvesting One of the perennial challenges for wearable devices has been power management. Nobody wants a health monitor that needs charging every few hours. Enter energy harvesting technolo- gies, such as piezoelectric materials and solar cells, that can convert ambient energy sources like body movement and sunlight into electrical power. is means your wearable health mon- itor could charge itself as you move or bask in the sun, reducing the hassle of frequent charging and ensuring continuous monitoring. Smart Algorithms It's not just about collecting data; it's about making sense of it. Advanced algorithms, pow- ered by artificial intelligence (AI), will play a crucial role in wearable health monitors of the future. ese algorithms will analyze your health data and provide actionable insights. For exam-