Wearable Thermoelectric Energy Harvesting Patch for Self-Powered Continuous Intraocular Pressure Monitoring

Continuous intraocular pressure monitoring is essential for glaucoma management, but existing implantable or wearable sensors rely on batteries with limited lifespans, which necessitate repeated surgical replacement or frequent recharging. Thermoelectric energy harvesting, which converts the temperature gradient between the human body and ambient environment into electric power, offers a feasible route toward battery-free ophthalmic sensing devices. This paper presents a flexible wearable thermoelectric patch integrated with a micro pressure sensor for non-invasive, long-term intraocular pressure estimation. The patch conforms to the periorbital skin and harvests thermal energy to sustain the sensing circuit and wireless transmission module. The pressure signal is correlated with intraocular pressure through a calibrated biomechanical model, and machine learning compensation is applied to eliminate interference from facial movement and ambient temperature fluctuation. Bench testing and human volunteer trials demonstrate that the device can operate continuously without external power supply and track diurnal intraocular pressure variation. Further work is needed to reduce measurement deviation induced by eyelid motion and improve the power output under low temperature gradients. This self-powered patch opens new avenues for long-term glaucoma home monitoring.