Sensing health: a bibliometric analysis of wearable sensors in healthcare

PurposeThis study aimed to provide a bibliometric analysis reviewing research trends and developments in wearable health sensors over the past decade. The goal was to map the research landscape to reveal maturation levels, translational gaps, and developmental arcs that can inform future inquiry.MethodsDatabase searches in Scopus and Web of Science identified 147 relevant English papers after duplication removal. Publication growth rates, active countries/institutions, subject areas, citation analysis, and keyword co-occurrence mapping were conducted using Biblioshiny, VOSviewer, and ScientoPy.ResultsPublication output exhibited a 20.7% average annual growth rate, demonstrating rising research interest. India, Singapore, and the US led country contributions, while MIT and technology universities were top institutions. Engineering dominated, but chemistry and materials science saw high growth. The journal Sensors published the most papers. Review and implementation papers were well-cited for consolidating knowledge. Analysis of keywords uncovered an arc from foundational to applied to translational research.ConclusionsWearable sensor research has rapidly expanded, led by technology-focused countries and institutions. While engineering innovation continues, interdisciplinary expansion is underway. Initial exploratory focus has progressed to health monitoring applications and clinical translation. However, technology readiness has outpaced clinical validation and real-world viability assessments. Strategic partnerships between technical and clinical stakeholders are vital to translate wearable sensors from bench to bedside. This bibliometric analysis provides a research landscape overview to guide future inquiry and stakeholder decision-making.