Soft Magnetoelastic Sensor Tracks Fatigue Through Eyeball Movements in Real Time

Published on Quantum Server Networks – Advancing Frontiers in Materials Science, Bioelectronics, and Human-Machine Interfaces

Soft magnetoelastic fatigue sensor

Image credit: Jun Chen Lab, UCLA

Fatigue is a subtle but critical factor affecting human performance, from road safety and workplace productivity to athletic performance. Yet, measuring fatigue reliably outside of controlled laboratory conditions has remained a persistent challenge. Traditional methods—such as surveys, EEG recordings, or camera-based systems—are often subjective, bulky, or impractical for real-world deployment.

In a groundbreaking study published in Nature Electronics, a research team led by Dr. Jun Chen at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) introduced a soft magnetoelastic sensor capable of decoding fatigue by monitoring eyelid and eyeball movements in real-time. This lightweight, battery-free device adheres comfortably to the eyelid like a second skin and translates every blink into electrical signals for fatigue analysis.

How the Technology Works

The sensor is constructed from a thin thermoplastic elastomer patterned with a gold coil, layered over a magnetoelastic film embedded with micro-magnets. Each blink causes mechanical stress in the material, altering its magnetic properties. These changes are immediately converted into electrical signals, offering a high-fidelity, wireless, and self-powered way to monitor blinking patterns and fatigue levels.

Unlike many other wearable sensors, this device is intrinsically waterproof. Because magnetoelasticity is not affected by humidity or water exposure, it eliminates the need for bulky encapsulation layers that would otherwise compromise performance.

The Science of Soft Magnetoelasticity

Magnetoelasticity—the change in a material’s magnetic properties under mechanical stress—was first discovered in 1865 by Italian physicist Emilio Villari. Historically, it was observed only in rigid metals requiring very high pressures. Dr. Chen’s group revolutionized this field in 2021 by demonstrating a giant magnetoelastic effect in soft polymer composites, lowering the pressure threshold from 10 MPa to around 10 kPa—levels easily produced by natural biomechanical activities such as heartbeat, breathing, and blinking.

This breakthrough opened the door to an entirely new class of soft magnetoelastic bioelectronics, which combine flexibility, comfort, and high sensitivity, making them ideal for real-world health monitoring applications.

Applications and Future Impact

The new fatigue-tracking sensor could transform a wide range of industries and daily life scenarios:

  • Transportation safety: Real-time fatigue monitoring for drivers, pilots, and operators.
  • Workplace productivity: Assessing fatigue in high-performance jobs such as healthcare, manufacturing, and defense.
  • Sports science: Monitoring athletes’ fatigue levels to optimize performance and recovery.
  • Healthcare: Non-invasive diagnostics for sleep disorders, neurological conditions, or chronic fatigue syndromes.

Beyond fatigue measurement, Dr. Chen’s lab is already exploring broader applications of soft magnetoelasticity, including implantable cardiovascular monitoring, respiration tracking, haptic interfaces, speech substitutes, and biomechanical energy harvesting. These devices could redefine how humans interact with machines, creating seamless and intelligent human-machine interfaces.

A New Era of Bioelectronics

By merging materials science, electronics, and biomedical engineering, soft magnetoelastic sensors represent a paradigm shift in how we monitor and enhance human performance. As this technology matures, it has the potential to move rapidly from laboratory prototypes to widespread adoption in consumer health wearables, clinical tools, and safety systems.

Reference

Original article: Soft magnetoelastic sensor measures fatigue from eyeball movements in real-time (TechXplore, September 2025)

*This blog article was prepared with the help of AI technologies.*

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#MagnetoelasticSensor #FatigueMonitoring #WearableTech #Bioelectronics #HumanMachineInterface #MaterialsScience #SoftElectronics #EnergyHarvesting #BiomedicalEngineering #QuantumServerNetworks

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