Internet of things-enabled biomedical engineering: current applications, challenges, and emerging directions

Abstract

The internet of medical things (IoMT) is a structured integrative review of the internet of things (IoT) that focuses on the medical field, specifically on the integration of physiological sensors, medical devices, communication networks, and the clinical information systems to monitor and track patients' health and conditions continuously, and use data to support medical treatment. Through July 2026, a reproducible search and evidence audit of PubMed/MEDLINE, IEEE Xplore, Google Scholar, publisher/digital object identifier (DOI) records, and authoritative regulatory and standards repositories was conducted. The final evidence base consisted of 65 distinct sources that were assessed using a set of explicit eligibility criteria and evidence weighting. Wearable atrial-fibrillation screening, remote monitoring, digital inhalers and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), and connected hospital infrastructure were shown to be clinically significant in large-scale studies, but such benefits were only seen if there was confirmatory pathway, workflow integration, data quality and persistent engagement. Cybersecurity, privacy, interoperability, validation, workforce capacity, equity, and lifecycle sustainability were all key challenges. The review also brought a synthesis and readiness framework that connects edge artificial intelligence (AI), federated learning, digital twins, advanced connectivity, and circular lifecycle management with measurable validation and governance requirements across the domains.