A translucent strip the size of a Band-Aid and embedded with electrochemical sensors can detect the presence of various substances and chemical signals in the body by analyzing sweat.
The “lab on a strip” was developed by researchers at four Brazilian universities and the country’s Center for Research in Energy and Materials.
The strip itself is made from microbial cellulose, a polymer made from sugar that has been used in wound dressings for years. Laid over the skin, the material is porous enough to allow sweat from the skin to enter it.
The strip is printed with electrodes about a half-inch, or 1.5 cm, long. In sweat, the electrodes can detect a range of biochemicals, including glucose, lactic acid, potassium, sodium, and various hormones.
The sensors produce an electrical signal that indicates the concentration of a particular biochemical. The signal is picked up by a measuring device that forwards it to a computer to record and analyze.
TRENDPOST: The lab-on-a-strip is another step toward personalized, decentralized medicine that places the patient, not the doctor, in charge.
Rather than physicians drawing blood and sending it to a lab for analysis, the lab-on-a-strip could be used to monitor a range of conditions, from blood sugar in persons with diabetes to cortisol fluctuations in persons dealing with anxiety. Eventually, home versions of the technology will enable individuals to check their own conditions when they wish.
