New skin patch can analyze sweat during exercise.
A team of researchers from Northwestern University has managed to develop a flexible, soft microfluidic device which can easily stick to human skin. This new first of its kind skin patch can measure and analyze the sweat of wearer to determine how the body responds to exercise.
The skin patch is similar in size and thickness to a quarter Its both a simple and low-cost device that can analyze key biomarkers found in sweat to help people learn how to better take care of their bodies during exercise. It can determine whether a person needs to drink more water or to replenish electrolytes, or if anything is medically wrong with your sweat.
It is fortunate that the device is inexpensive since it is meant for only a one-time use and only for a few hours after it is first applied on the skin of the forearm or on your back. Another great health benefit of the skin patch is that it detects the presence of a biomarker specific to cystic fibrosis. This feature is what makes scientists think that the device could see a broader use in disease diagnosis.
According to John A. Rogers, the leader of the multi-institution development team of the skin patch, the wearable skin interface allows for a new type of measurements that were not possible with any other type of pads or sponges used to collect sweat. He emphasized the importance of sweat in determining a person’s overall health, as it stores important chemical compounds which provide a lot of physiological information.
The skin patch provides relevant information through integrated electronic which communicate wirelessly to a smartphone, where anyone can see the results of the sweat analysis and the recommendations based on the results.
Researchers tested the accuracy and durability of the skin patch in two different experiments. One involved indoor cyclists while for the other experiment, the skin patch was worn by participants in the El Tour De Tucson long bicycle race in arid and harsh conditions. The skin patch collected the sweat forming on the athletes back in both experiments.
The study is titled “A Soft, Wearable Microfluidic Device for the Capture, Storage, and Colorimetric Sensing of Sweat” and was published in the journal Science Translational Medicine
Image credit: Northwestern University
Deborah Campbell
