
The monitor only needs a small amount of perspiration in order to give accurate measurements
STATES CHRONICLE – It seems that fitness monitors, like the Fitbit, are a thing of the past because the new sweat monitor will check your health status without giving a sweat. The device was created by a team of researchers from both Stanford and Berkley University and will work via a sensor.
Present technology is trying to find new, less invasive methods of measuring the health of people. And until now a syringe was always involved when it came to the determination of such things as sodium, glucose, potassium or lactate levels in your organism. It is true that most of them were determined with the use of a single drop of blood, but that will not be the case anymore with the new sweat monitor.
The gathered team from the two prestigious universities has developed a sensor that can be applied to the forehead, or other areas that are usually “invaded” by our sweat and measure the levels of certain substances that are present in our perspiration, the temperature of the body and many others. The idea is that by using those measurements, the device will be able to tell the wearer if there is any concern of fatigue, stress, dehydration or even other physical ailments that are underlying.
According to the lead author of the project, Ali Javey, sweat is filled with different chemicals in various quantities, and by measuring them, somebody could discover a number of ailments without even having to draw a drop of blood. This means that the technology will be especially useful to children, or people with a phobia for needles or blood.
The device is basically a board on which electronic sensors were placed. The sensors are programmed to monitor the biomarkers present in sweat. The board is small enough to be fitted inside a headband or a wristband, making the device virtually invisible.
But there is no need to run the 4k in order to perspire in large quantities. The device only needs a rather small amount of the bodily fluid in order to make its analysis. From what Javey said, only a fifth part of a droplet is enough for it to make accurate measurements.
The team is already working on improvements so that the monitor will not require the person wearing it to exercise or engage in any other physical activity in order for it to work.
You can find additional information on the sweat monitor that will check your health status in the video included below.
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