Tiny sensor analyzes biomarkers in sweat

EPFL’s Adrian Ionescu  has developed a miniature chip  that analyzes biomarkers in sweat to understand a wearer’s health. It is the basis of a modular system that can measure sodium and potassium concentrations (that signal dehydration); body temperature and pH (to detect bacteria and risk factors for other illnesses); chlorine levels (as an early indication of cystic fibrosis); and other biomarkers that suggest fatigue and stress.

The chip contains four, 20 nanometer thick, extremely sensitive, silicon sensors. Each sensor is coated with a different material to detect different biomarkers. Two fluidic layers, between the chip and the user’s skin, pump sweat from the skin to the sensors.  The pump relies on capillary action, allowing it to run continuously, without electricity.


Sweat-sensing for health and disease prediction will be discussed by University of Cincinnati professor Jason Heikenfeld at ApplySci’s Wearable Tech + Digital Health + Neurotech conference, on February 26-27, 2018, at Stanford University.

Other speakers include:  Vinod Khosla – Justin Sanchez – Brian Otis – Bryan Johnson – Zhenan Bao – Nathan Intrator – Carla Pugh – Jamshid Ghajar – Mark Kendall – Robert Greenberg – Darin Okuda – Jason Heikenfeld – Bob Knight – Phillip Alvelda – Paul Nuyujukian –  Peter Fischer – Tony Chahine – Shahin Farshchi – Ambar Bhattacharyya – Adam D’Augelli – Juan-Pablo Mas – Michael Eggleston – Walter Greenleaf.

Registration rates increase Friday, December 8th

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