This image provided by KAIST shows a newly-developed wireless electronic patch.
DAEJEON, May 7 (Korea Bizwire) — A group of South Korean scientists have developed a wireless electronic patch that can diagnose diseases by analyzing the chemical composition of an individual’s sweat, as well as the excretion rate, in real time.
Researchers from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) and Sungkyunkwan University said Thursday that they had developed a microfluidic system that can measure and analyze the density and components of sweat, such as chloride and glucose, and the amount of sweat excretion per unit hour in real time.
To develop the patch, the research team attached a low power thermal source on top of the microfluidic channel of the patch that contacts the skin.
When sweat flows from the upper to the lower part of the thermal source, it creates a change in temperature. Based on this phenomenon, the research team succeeded in measuring the speed of sweat excretion.
During physical activity, the sweat was excreted at a rate of up to 5-microlitre per minute. The measured data can be checked in real time through a smartphone application.
Such data can be used for the diagnosis of diseases such as cystic fibrosis, diabetes, kidney function disorder and metabolic alkalosis.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
