Important Innovations Collection

Affordable Alternative to Blood Tests Source:  American Chemical Society - Test before (left), Results (right) US-China Research Collaboration A biosensor bandage that collects and analyzes, in conjunction with a smart phone, sweat could be an inexpensive alternative to traditional blood tests.  It was developed by a team of US and Chinese scientists and is designed to monitor health and detect diseases. Wearable Device The smart health monitor is wearable.  It's composed of a polymer film coated with a super-hydrophobic silica suspension. It's flexible and contains mini-wells.  The wells contain dyes that react to sweat in the event of changes in glucose, calcium, chloride and pH. Smart Bandage The smart biosensor bandage adheres to the skin. Sweat that reaches the micropores trigger the dyes to change color in reaction to the chemical composition of the sweat.  The team just announced the device and is working on increasing its sensitivity.

Tiny, Waterproof Patch with Sweat Based Sensors Source:  Northwestern University's Sweat-based Sensor Spots Health Conditions Real-Time A patch has been developed by bioengineers at Northwestern University that reads your sweat and spots medical conditions.  The sweat based sensor provides real-time information on the wearer's levels of chloride, glucose and lactate, sweat rate and pH. The device lets you know if you are dehydrated, lack oxygen, dangerously low on electro-lights, have diabetes or cystic fibrosis. Next Generation Health Tracker Today's fitness trackers gather mostly mechanical metrics.  A new generation of devices are being developed to access the person's underlying medical conditions.  Northwestern's device is a leading example. Personalized Health Care Northwestern's device is a personalized approach to fitness and health.  It is battery free, wireless and uses sensors and colorimetrics to provide results.  To put it simply...