Advances in Photovoltaic Technologies for Portable Devices: Materials, Integration and Emerging Applications

Energy autonomy is a major challenge for portable devices such as smart watches, biometric sensors, and connected textiles. The integration of photovoltaic cells appears to be a promising solution to overcome the limitations of rechargeable batteries. This article provides a critical analysis of the main photovoltaic technologies used in wearable systems, including silicon cells, perovskites, DSSCs, and organic-inorganic hybrid cells. Each technology has distinct advantages: durability and reliability for silicon, low-light performance for DSSCs, and high efficiency combined with flexibility for perovskites and hybrid cells. Practical applications in consumer wearable electronics, medical devices, IoT, and smart textiles illustrate the potential of PVs to provide autonomous power. However, material stability, architecture optimization, and durability in real-world conditions remain critical challenges. The choice of a suitable photovoltaic technology is therefore based on a multi-criteria assessment, incorporating energy performance, conditions of use, and integration constraints.