Scientists from the University of California-Berkeley and the Stanford University School of Medicine have developed a new, noninvasive technology capable of monitoring people's health using an analysis of their sweat.
In a study featured in the journal Nature, Dr. Ali Javey, an electrical engineering and computer sciences professor at UC Berkley, led a team of researchers in exploring the potential of human perspiration as a way to determine the health of an individual.
According to the researchers, sweat is a rich source of chemical data that doctors can use to find out what is going on inside a person's body. It can also help medical researchers identify certain kinds of diseases, enhance athletic performance and even reveal drug use.
"Sweat is pretty attractive to target for noninvasive wearable sensors, since it's, of course, very easy to analyze - you don't have to poke the body to get it - and it has a lot of information about one's health in it," Javey said.
For their new system, the researchers created flexible biosensors that can measure the metabolites and electrolytes found in sweat. These sensors can be embedded to smart headbands and wristbands, which users can wear at any time of the day.
The biosensors can calibrate chemicals depending on the wearer's skin temperature. Once an ample reading is achieved, the sensors will then send the data wirelessly to the system's accompanying smartphone app. This process all occurs in real time.
There are four specific chemical concentrations that the system is focused on: potassium, sodium, lactate and glucose.
Javey explained that a buildup of potassium and sodium in human sweat signifies dehydration, while a buildup of lactate reveals muscle fatigue.
To fine tune their new technology, the researchers conducted a test involving 26 middle-aged volunteers, consisting of 22 males and 2 females. The volunteers were asked to carry out three exercise routines, which involved outdoor running and indoor cycling.
The researchers fitted the volunteers with the biosensors to monitor their condition during the workouts. Skin temperature data and calibrated readings gathered from the volunteers helped the team fine tune their system.
"It's the beginning of a great new realm of [biosensors], not only for personal use but for astronauts and people who need to be monitored for this-or-that condition in real time," study co-author George Brooks said.
