Engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have successfully developed a wireless wearable, skin-like sensors for health monitoring, as reported by Interesting Engineering. The new development doesn't need batteries or an internal processor, and it is referred to as the e-skin.
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CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS - JULY 08: A sign on the campus of Massachusetts Institute of Technology on July 08, 2020 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Harvard and MIT have sued the Trump administration for its decision to strip international college students of their visas if all of their courses are held online.
The e-skin features a semiconducting film that conforms to the skin like an electronic Scotch tape. As stated in a press release, "If there is any change in pulse, or chemicals in sweat, or even ultraviolet exposure to skin, all of this activity can change the pattern of surface acoustic waves on the gallium nitride film."
The engineers also noted that the film's sensitivity is so high that it can detect even the smallest changes. With wireless technology, it can detect a person's blood pressure, glucose levels, heart rate, and activity levels. All of the data from these will be communicated from the sensor to the smartphone for additional analysis.
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How Does it Work
Now, let's dig deeper into how the e-skin works. The sensor's core is formed by an ultrathin, high-quality film that contains gallium nitride. The substance is known for its piezoelectric capabilities that allow it to an emit electrical signal in response to a mechanical strain and vibrate mechanically in response to an electrical impulse.
They created pure, single-crystalline samples of the substance and combined them with a gold conducting layer to enhance incoming or outgoing electrical signals. The engineers showed that gallium nitride vibrates in response to a person's heartbeat and the salt in their sweat.
These vibrations produce an electrical signal that is interpreted easily by a nearby receiver. Therefore, the device can communicate sensor data even without a battery or a chip.
Additionally, they made a tiny coating of pure gallium nitride and strapped the e-skin to the wrists and necks of volunteers. They used a small antenna held close by to record the sensor's frequency without touching the sensory itself.
As a result, the device was able to detect and transmit variations in the surface acoustic waves of the substance on the skin associated with the volunteers' heart rates. With this, it marks the first step toward a chip-free wireless sensor. This may also be used along with other chosen membraned to track additional indicators.
It looks like the e-skin can change the healthcare industry as a way to provide a more innovative way to monitor health, specifically those with existing medical conditions.
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Written by: April Fowell
