Sensor sticker for athletes, doctors and cosmetologists
Temporary Tattoo to Measure metabolic stress
ChemPort.Ru based on the materials of the University of Toronto: Happy face tattoo does serious workA medical sensor that attaches to the skin like a temporary tattoo can be an indispensable assistant for doctors trying to find problems with the patient's metabolism, as well as for coaches to optimize the training regime of athletes under their care.
The developed sensor is a thin and flexible device carved in the shape of a smiling face. Vinci Hung from the University of Toronto, who participated in the creation of the new sensor, working in the group of Joseph Wang, a pioneer in biosensor technology and a scientist known for his innovations in the field of nanoengineering, notes that researchers have developed such a design of an electrochemical device to mask the electrodes as much as possible.
Hang also notes that the researchers wanted to demonstrate the variety of designs of new sensors that can be manufactured using the proposed technique. A new solid-state ion–selective electrode (ion-selective electrode, ISE) incorporated into a temporary tattoo was obtained using a conventional printing technique on commercially available transfer paper - exactly the kind used for temporary tattoos with the faces of Disney characters or comic book heroes. In this case, the "eyes" of the smiling face work as a working electrode and a reference electrode, and the "ears" are contacts with which the new device can be connected to measuring instruments.
Photo: University of TorontoThe sensor developed in Wong's group is able to measure changes in skin pH caused by metabolic stress caused by physical exertion.
Sensor-like ion-selective electrodes are already used in medical research and sports training.
Such sensors can be useful for diagnosing a number of diseases associated with metabolic disorders, or simply signal an athlete's fatigue or severe dehydration during training. Such devices may also prove useful for the cosmetics industry to monitor skin secretion. However, existing sensors may be bulky or cannot be fixed on sweat-soaked skin. The tests showed that the new sensor based on temporary tattoos remains in place during the tests even when the subjects were experiencing severe physical exertion and sweating intensely.
Sensor tattoos were applied to the skin in approximately the same way as "transfer tattoos" – they were applied to the skin, treated with a paper towel soaked in warm water, and the base paper was removed. To obtain the sensors, the researchers used a printing technique for sequentially applying a layer of silver, carbon fiber and insulating ink to the substrate.
The researchers suggest that using different materials, they will be able to modify sensors to detect other components of sweat – potassium, sodium or magnesium ions. All these ions may be of potential interest to physicians and cosmetologists.
Article by Bandodkar et al. Tattoo-based potentiometric ion-selective sensors for epidermal pH monitoring is published in the journal Analyst.
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