Laboratory on the skin
The new sensor continuously measures the level of alcohol, lactate and glucose
Stepan Ikaev, Hi-tech+
A team of engineers from the University of California, San Diego has developed a "laboratory on the skin" to collect information about important health indicators. The new system is a small, about the size of a stack of six American quarters, a sensor that is attached to the patient's arm and collects data on the level of alcohol, lactate and glucose, while its diameter is about 25 mm and its thickness is 10. All the results collected by the devices are sent to the smartphone in real time.
Drawings from the press release of Multi-Tasking Wearable Continuously Monitors Glucose, Alcohol, and Lactate – VM.
"It's like a whole lab on the skin. The sensor is able to continuously measure several biomarkers at the same time, allowing users to monitor their health and well—being during daily activities," said the head of the study, Joseph Wang.
The prototype of the new device consists of two connected sections. At the bottom of the sensor, which is attached to the user's hand, there is a set of microneedles, each measuring one-fifth the width of a human hair. This thickness is enough to penetrate under the skin and "connect" to the body, but the microneedles do not cause noticeable discomfort to the patient. The needles penetrate into the upper layers of the skin, coming into contact with the interstitial fluid surrounding the skin cells. The concentrations of chemicals in this liquid correspond to those in the blood.
At the same time, there is a reusable case on the top, in which all electronics are hidden — a battery, electrical sensors, a microprocessor and a Bluetooth module. This case and the array of microneedles almost always remain connected together, except when the user wants to replace the used needles with new ones.
Various enzymes are installed at the tips of the microneedles. Some of them react with glucose in the interstitial fluid, others with alcohol and lactate content. In all cases, as a result of the reaction between the sensor and the needles, a small electric current arises, the strength of which depends on the level of the detected chemical in the interstitial fluid.
By analyzing which needles transmit electric current and what strength, it is possible to determine how much glucose, alcohol and lactate are currently present in the bloodstream. This information is instantly processed and wirelessly transmitted to an application on a smartphone or PC.
During laboratory tests, five volunteers wore the device on their forearms while eating, drinking a glass of wine and exercising. The measurements showed that the glucose, alcohol and lactate data correspond to the results that can be obtained using certified medical devices for determining blood glucose levels, a breathalyzer and laboratory measurements of lactate. This means that in the future all classic devices can be replaced with one small sensor.
Now engineers are preparing to commercialize their sensors. To do this, they founded the startup AquilX, which will operate as a subsidiary of the University of California and will receive the rights to use the development for commercial purposes.
Article by Tehrani et al. An integrated wearable microneedle array for the continuous monitoring of multiple biomarkers in interstitial fluid is published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering – VM.
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