The wearable and implantable biosensor industry is one of the most exciting areas of modern healthcare technology. Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs), microneedle platforms, wearable metabolic sensors, implantable veterinary devices and next-generation health monitoring systems are attracting significant commercial interest and investment.
However, one of the biggest misconceptions in the sector is that successful biosensor products begin with a sophisticated wearable device.
In reality, they rarely do.
Most successful biosensor platforms begin in a much simpler place: with a screen printed electrode.
Whether you are developing a glucose sensor, hormone sensor, inflammatory marker sensor or entirely new electrochemical sensing platform, understanding the role of screen printed technologies can significantly reduce both development time and cost.
Wearables and Implantables Have More in Common Than You Might Think
Consider two technologies:
- A blood glucose test strip (SMBG)
- A Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM)
They appear very different.
One is a disposable strip used for occasional testing. The other is a sophisticated wearable device capable of continuously monitoring glucose concentrations throughout the day.
Yet both technologies share a common heritage.
Both originated from electrochemical sensing platforms built on printed technologies.
The reality is that many modern wearable biosensors evolved from manufacturing techniques, electrochemistry and production methods that were initially developed for blood glucose test strips.
When people ask whether screen printed electrodes are relevant to wearable and implantable biosensors, the answer is simple:
Yes, absolutely.
In many cases they are not simply relevant. They are the starting point.
The Mistake Many Innovators Make
A common pattern occurs when organisations begin developing a new biosensor.
They focus on the end product.
They arrive with specifications such as:
- The sensor must fit a specific battery.
- The sensor must have a particular shape.
- The sensor must be wearable.
- The sensor must communicate wirelessly.
- The sensor must connect to a cloud platform.
While these requirements may ultimately be important, they are not usually the first challenge that needs solving.
The first challenge is proving that the sensing mechanism actually works.
Before worrying about:
- Bluetooth
- Mobile applications
- Cloud platforms
- Connectivity
- Packaging
- Miniaturisation
you need confidence in the science.
This is why development should always precede productisation.
Develop First, Productise Later
Many biosensor projects fail because they attempt to productise before they have adequately developed the sensor itself.
The purpose of early-stage development is to answer fundamental questions:
- Does the electrochemistry work?
- Does the biology work?
- Is the signal stable?
- Is the response selective?
- Does the sensor survive in relevant conditions?
- Can the sensor be manufactured consistently?
These questions can often be answered using standard screen printed electrodes and off-the-shelf electronics.
Only after these questions have been answered should organisations begin investing in custom hardware, wearable form factors and advanced manufacturing.
A biosensor platform should earn its complexity.
Understanding the Funding Reality
Another challenge in the biosensor industry is unrealistic expectations around budgets.
Many founders and early-stage teams dramatically underestimate the resources required to create a robust wearable or implantable biosensor.
As a rough guideline:
Less Than £5,000
At this level, organisations are generally operating within:
- Proof-of-concept studies
- Fundamental electrochemistry
- Laboratory testing
- Standard screen printed electrodes
- Off-the-shelf electronics
This corresponds roughly to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3.
More Than £300,000
At this stage organisations can begin exploring:
- Custom sensor architectures
- Early wearable prototypes
- Advanced electronics
- Embedded software
- Manufacturing development
The outputs become considerably more product-like.
Several Million Pounds
Building a truly robust wearable or implantable biosensor generally requires funding measured in millions rather than thousands.
This is the stage where organisations tackle:
- Reliability
- Regulatory compliance
- Clinical programmes
- Manufacturing scale-up
- Quality systems
- Commercial deployment
Many successful products require investments well beyond £25 million before reaching meaningful commercial maturity.
The Market Provides Useful Evidence
One of the best ways to understand biosensor development is to examine companies already progressing towards commercialisation.
Sava
Sava is developing microneedle-based sensing technologies and has raised more than $60 million to support its programme.
The company was founded years ago and continues progressing towards commercialisation, illustrating the reality that biosensor development is neither fast nor inexpensive.
Biolinq
Biolinq has raised hundreds of millions of dollars while developing next-generation continuous monitoring technology.
Their development programme began more than a decade ago.
Again, the lesson is clear.
Successful wearable biosensor businesses are typically built through:
- Long development cycles
- Significant investment
- Multiple product generations
- Extensive scientific validation
They are not created by small teams with limited resources in a matter of months.
Beware the Startup Illusion
Many startup websites create the impression that remarkable wearable biosensors are being created rapidly with limited funding.
A typical website may display:
- Attractive product renderings
- Sophisticated wearable concepts
- Professional marketing imagery
- Compact development teams
While these presentations are often compelling, they do not necessarily reflect the true maturity of the technology.
A useful rule of thumb is to look at three factors:
- Team size
- Development timeline
- Funding raised
If all three are relatively small, expectations should remain realistic regarding the technology's actual readiness level.
This is not criticism.
It is simply an acknowledgement of the difficulty involved in biosensor development.
Continuous Glucose Monitoring as a Case Study
CGMs provide one of the strongest examples of how screen printed technologies evolve into commercial products.
Modern systems such as the Abbott FreeStyle Libre are highly sophisticated.
They include:
- Biosensors
- Electronics
- Power management
- Wireless communication
- Mobile applications
- Cloud connectivity
- Data analytics
Yet when examining the sensing element itself, the roots remain visible.
The sensor consists of an electrochemical architecture incorporating multiple electrodes and biochemical functionalisation layers.
The manufacturing concepts underpinning these devices can be traced directly back to technologies developed for blood glucose monitoring.
In other words, the pathway from SMBG to CGM is not a story of replacing screen printed electrochemistry.
It is a story of building upon it.
The Historical Link Between SMBG and CGM
A useful example comes from the history of TheraSense, which was ultimately acquired by Abbott.
Although the company was strongly associated with continuous glucose monitoring ambitions, its early commercial success came through blood glucose test strips.
The work of Adam Heller and others helped establish many of the electrochemical foundations that would later contribute to the evolution of CGM technology.
This progression is important.
The manufacturing capability, electrochemistry and development experience established through SMBG products helped create the foundation required for CGM technologies.
This historical journey reinforces a central argument:
Modern wearable biosensors often emerge from technologies first developed in simpler formats.
Why Sheet-Format Electrodes Matter
One practical manufacturing lesson is worth highlighting.
Many researchers purchase screen printed electrodes as individual, singulated components.
While convenient, this can unintentionally encourage thinking that is disconnected from manufacturing reality.
In production, electrodes are typically manufactured in sheets containing many devices.
Working with electrodes in sheet format provides several advantages:
- Improved process consistency
- Better alignment with automated manufacturing
- Easier robotic functionalisation
- Reduced handling complexity
- Improved scalability
Thinking about manufacturing early can prevent costly redesigns later.
The way a sensor is developed should support the way it will eventually be manufactured.
Carbon, Gold or Platinum?
When selecting electrode materials, many developers instinctively look towards gold because of its reputation in biosensing and diagnostics.
However, in many commercial electrochemical biosensor applications, carbon remains the preferred option.
Carbon electrodes offer several advantages:
- Lower cost
- Excellent scalability
- Mature manufacturing processes
- Proven commercial success in glucose sensing
Gold and platinum certainly have their place, particularly where specific electrochemical properties are required, but developers should remember that commercialisation places enormous pressure on material costs.
When multiple materials could achieve the same objective, carbon is often the most pragmatic choice.
Be Careful with Flex PCB Biosensor Designs
Another misconception frequently encountered in the biosensor industry is that flexible printed circuit boards (flex PCBs) provide a straightforward route to wearable biosensors.
While they may appear attractive, electrochemical sensing applications often create challenges that conventional flex circuitry struggles to overcome.
Particularly in voltammetric and amperometric applications, long-term exposure to electrolytes and biological environments can create corrosion and reliability issues.
Many teams achieve promising early results, only to discover significant yield problems during scale-up.
The lesson is not that flex PCBs are impossible to use.
The lesson is that developers should validate their sensing platform thoroughly before assuming traditional PCB manufacturing approaches will translate directly to electrochemical biosensors.
The Challenge of Implantable Biosensors
The leap from wearable devices to implantable technologies introduces additional complexity.
A successful implantable biosensor is far more than an electrode alone.
It requires an entire technology ecosystem, including:
- Sensor technology
- Electronics
- Wireless telemetry
- Power systems
- Packaging
- Cloud connectivity
- Software platforms
- Data analytics
The sensor itself sits at the base of a much larger technology stack.
Without the surrounding infrastructure, even an excellent biosensor remains an incomplete product.
From Fish to Pigs to Humans
Real-world biosensor development typically progresses through multiple stages.
Laboratory experiments are only the beginning.
Programmes often advance through a sequence such as:
In Vitro Testing
Testing in:
- Buffer solutions
- Artificial samples
- Flow systems
- Controlled laboratory environments
Tissue-Based Testing
Testing within physiologically relevant materials to better replicate real-world conditions.
Examples may include tissue models and biological matrices that bridge the gap between laboratory testing and living systems.
Animal Studies
Evaluation in living organisms, including:
- Fish
- Mammalian models such as pigs
- Long-term monitoring studies
Animal studies reveal challenges that are often impossible to discover in benchtop experiments, such as physiological variability, biofouling and long-term signal drift.
Human Translation
Only after substantial data collection and validation does development move towards human applications.
This process can span many years and often requires multiple generations of technology.
Biosensors Are About More Than Sensors
One of the biggest lessons learned from implantable and wearable development programmes is that creating a successful biosensor requires much more than creating a sensor.
Modern platforms involve:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials science
- Electronics
- Firmware
- Wireless communication
- Cloud systems
- Data storage
- Algorithm development
The challenge is not simply detecting a signal.
The challenge is transforming that signal into meaningful, reliable and actionable information.
Key Takeaways
The evidence from both the marketplace and decades of biosensor development points to several clear conclusions.
1. Screen Printed Electrodes Remain Highly Relevant
They are not outdated technologies.
They continue to serve as a foundation for many commercial biosensor platforms.
2. Development Must Come Before Productisation
The sensing chemistry and electrochemistry should be validated before investing heavily in product design.
3. Funding Matters
There is a significant difference between a £5,000 proof-of-concept and a multi-million-pound commercial development programme.
4. Manufacturing Should Be Considered Early
Decisions made during research can have major consequences during scale-up.
5. Progress Takes Time
Companies approaching commercial success today often began their journeys many years ago and have raised tens or hundreds of millions of dollars.
6. Biosensors Are Entire Systems
The sensor is only one part of a broader ecosystem that includes electronics, software, connectivity and data infrastructure.
Conclusion
The path from an idea to a wearable or implantable biosensor is rarely short, simple or inexpensive.
However, the journey often begins in the same place: with a screen printed electrode, a scientific question and a series of carefully designed experiments.
The companies creating the next generation of biosensors are not skipping this stage. They are embracing it.
Whether your ambition is a wearable glucose monitor, an implantable veterinary sensor, a microneedle platform or a completely new diagnostic technology, the lesson remains the same:
Develop first. Productise later.
The history of SMBGs, CGMs and modern implantable biosensors suggests that this remains one of the most reliable routes from concept to commercial success.
Related Resources
🔬 Screen Printed Electrodes
https://shop.zimmerpeacock.com/en-gb/collections/bare-electrodes
🧪 Biosensors
https://shop.zimmerpeacock.com/en-gb/pages/sensors
⚡ Biosensor Electronics
https://shop.zimmerpeacock.com/en-gb/products/biosensor-single-purpose-board
🧫 Accessories for Screen Printed Electrodes
https://shop.zimmerpeacock.com/en-gb/collections/solutions
⚗️ Biosensor Chemicals & Solutions
https://shop.zimmerpeacock.com/en-gb/collections/chemical-and-solutions
