A trip to the lab may no longer be necessary with the emergence of these wearable sweat monitors that can track the body's biochemical data in real time. These non-invasive sensors have the capability to measure sweat data and sync it to a smartphone.
Scientists from the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) have developed a system that will give doctors a picture on what is going on in the body on a molecular level, and that is done real-time. According to one of the researchers, Dr. Ali Javey, "Human sweat contains physiologically rich information, thus making it an attractive body fluid for non-invasive wearable sensors."
Wall Street Journal reported that these sensors measure the chemicals found in human sweat. It then calibrates the data in accordance to the temperature of the body. The data is subsequently transmitted to the smartphone using Bluetooth, which can then be used by doctors to figure out what's going on in the body outside the confines of the clinic or hospital.
One of the professors from the University of Illinois, John Rogers, gave high regard to this recent development. Although he was not a part of the research team, he said, "The technology goes beyond state-of-the-art, with applicability both in basic studies of human physiology and in a range of clinical applications."
An account of these wearable sensors at Times of India highlighted the apparent benefits that this brings. It quoted another professor from the University of California, George Brooks, saying, "With this non-invasive technology, someday it may be possible to know what's going on physiologically without needle sticks or attaching little, disposable cups on you."
While still in its prototype, these sensors are already very promising. The sensors can measure skin temperature, sodium and potassium electrolytes, and also glucose and lactate metabolites. By using 10 integrated circuit chips, the sensors easily read sweat data, pass it on to the smartphone app also developed by the researchers, and leave doctors to do the evaluation on the overall health condition of the wearer.
According to Dr. Javey, through the use of these wearables, "we could do studies between molecules and health conditions among much larger populations." They have more advanced plans at developing sensors for clinical and commercial applications.
