Irvine, Calif., Jan. 29, 2026 — Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed a multimodal, bioelectronic wrist-worn device for objective, continuous, real-time monitoring of stress.
Outlined in a paper published in Nature Communications , the Smart Quantitative and Comprehensive Stress Assessor and Sub-Classifier simultaneously tracks molecular stress biomarkers alongside physiological stress indicators, providing a complete and precise picture of how stress is experienced by humans.
Stress is widely recognized as a major contributor to mental and physical health challenges, yet accurate measurement of it remains difficult. Many common approaches are either subjective, relying on self-reporting, or limited to one-time snapshots that fail to capture how stress changes over time.
The UC Irvine team designed SQC-SAS to remedy this by integrating multimodal biosensing, wireless operation and machine learning into a wearable device intended for objectiveness and ease of use.
"Stress is not a single signal; it's a dynamic physiological and biochemical response," said senior author Rahim Esfandyar-pour, UC Irvine assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science and biomedical engineering. "By measuring both molecular biomarkers and physiological signals at the same time, we can reduce ambiguity and move toward stress monitoring that's more specific, objective and informative."
Unlike many wearables that rely on a single physiological indicator, SQC-SAS is designed to collect multiple synchronized inputs through an integrated panel that pairs a physiological patch that tracks heart rate and skin conductance with a molecular patch for sweat cortisol (stress hormone) detection, along with electronics for wireless signal acquisition and recording.
To translate these multimodal biosignals into actionable insights, the researchers developed a highly accurate AI model.
Esfandyar-pour's UC Irvine team emphasized that existing clinical approaches for cortisol-based stress assessment can be invasive and often require specialized medical personnel and facilities, while many physiology-based wearables can be ambiguous.
"Measurements of stress obtained by electrocardiograms or through galvanic skin response and skin temperature lack specificity, often producing false-positive or false-negative results due to confounding factors such as physical activity, diet, environmental conditions or circadian rhythms," Esfandyar-pour said. "Our wireless, batteryfree and automated SQC-SAS … is designed to be worn and measures both physiological and molecular signals, so the results paint a much more accurate picture of the stress people are encountering."
He added, "We developed this stress-monitoring wearable bioelectronic to be as user-friendly and noninvasive as possible. People wearing it will hardly notice it's there, while it continuously and objectively captures their stress profile."
Esfandyar-pour stressed that SQC-SAS addresses a critical healthcare gap at a time when stress has reached epidemic proportions and many are going undiagnosed and untreated. According to recent data, 52 percent of Americans and 60 percent of individuals across 34 countries reported facing stress so overwhelming that they struggled to manage it at least once throughout the year. Chronic stress can contribute to serious mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression, as well as physical conditions including cardiovascular disease and obesity.
Joining Esfandyar-pour on this project were electrical engineering and computer science Ph.D. students Xiaochang Pei, Anita Ghandehari and Shingirirai Chakoma; Jerome Rajendran, a postdoctoral scholar in electrical engineering and computer science; and Jorge Alfonso Tavares-Negrete, a Ph.D. student in biomedical engineering. Financial support was provided by UC Irvine's Samueli School of Engineering.
About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation's top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu .
Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus studio with a Comrex IP audio codec to interview UC Irvine faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UC Irvine news, visit news.uci.edu . Additional resources for journalists may be found at https://news.uci.edu/media-resources .
