Implantable and wearable sensors for health monitoring
Biocompatible and biodegradable materials based self-powered wearable sensors for healthcare monitoring
Wearable healthcare monitoring systems can monitor vital health parameters such as heart rate, respiration, body motion, pressure, temperature, sweat biomarkers, wound status, and skin hydration which can be related with various diseases. The continuous and real-time monitoring of these vital signs can give early warnings and prevent the occurrence of diseases. However, traditional wearable healthcare monitoring devices are usually complicated, bulky, needs expertise, and not suitable for remote usage. Most importantly, these sensors use batteries which needs to be replaced timely and can cause environmental pollution due to the use of toxic materials.
Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are devices which can convert mechanical energy into electrical energy using triboelectricity and electrostatic induction without the need of batteries and external power sources. TENGs can be used for wearable self-powered healthcare sensors due to their flexibility, wide material selection property, durability, cost-effectiveness, and high sensitivity nature. TENG based healthcare sensors offer advantages including continuous operation, minimal device complexity, improved biocompatibility, and great wearability. They are highly suitable for personalized healthcare, disease monitoring, and long-term remote health monitoring. Using biocompatible and biodegradable materials for self-powered wearable sensors improve user comfort, safety, and sustainability while supporting real-time health monitoring, personalized healthcare, and remote patient monitoring, making them promising technology for next-generation smart healthcare applications.
Contact: Swati Panda
Funded by Digital Futures
In collaboration with Asst. Prof. Erica Zeglio, Stockholm University
Self-powered biodegradable sensor for post-surgical monitoring
Digital sensors enabling continuous monitoring of blood pressure would allow early discovery of blood vessel collapse or clot – primary causes of readmission within the first 30-days after heart and vascular surgery. To be effective, such sensors need to be sensitive enough (< 5 kPa) to detect small changes in blood pressure, matched to the tissue stiffness, and biodegradable, to eliminate the need for device-extraction surgeries. Our overall goal is to develop a self-powered biodegradable pressure sensor with the potential for wireless signal transfer that is tested in vitro under conditions that mimic the in vivo environment.
Contact: Kyle Mudge
In collaboration with Asst. Prof. Erica Zeglio, Stockholm University.
Funded by: Digital Futures
Highly durable soft strain sensor
Traditional follow-up assessments in post-acute care often miss gradual postoperative cardiac deterioration occurring outside hospital settings. Advances in remote patient monitoring show promise, but continuous, sensitive, and practical methods are lacking. Building on previous work introducing a durable, soft strain sensor, this research presents VITALS, an implantable strain sensing network that enables continuous biventricular, multiaxial monitoring of cardiac function. The sensor’s novel design affords a longer fatigue life than previously possible for soft, large-deformation strain sensors, while effectively minimizing shear loading effects to enhance accuracy. Additionally, the system integrates a sensor on the aorta for synchronous systolic pressure monitoring. Animal studies demonstrate VITALS’ ability to track epicardial strain with high fidelity, detect preload changes rapidly, and differentiate inotropic states. Validation against echocardiographic chamber volumes and global strain underscores the sensor’s clinical relevance, offering a practical solution for continuous, accurate cardiac monitoring to improve patient outcomes.
Contact: Seraina Dual
In collaboration with Prof. Mark Cutkosky, Stanford University.
Publications
A.Kight, M. Haidar, M.Shibata, Y. Ono, G. Ikeda, A. Sharir, F. Semproni, Y. Palagani, S. Taheri, A. Kyungwon Han, M. Ma, K. Riemer, D.B. McElhinney, S.A. Dual, M. Cutkosky. VITALS: An Implantable Sensor Network for Postoperative Cardiac Monitoring in Heart Failure Patients. npj Biomed. Innov.
A. Kight et al., "Decoupling Transmission and Transduction for Improved Durability of Highly Stretchable, Soft Strain Sensing : Applications in Human Health Monitoring," Sensors, vol. 23, no. 4, 2023.
A. Kight, M. Cutkosky, D.M. McElHinney, I. Pirozzi, X. Liang, S. Dual, K.W. Han, Implantable, Stretchable Sensor for Continuous Biomechanical Monitoring of the Heart (05.02.2023). Invention disclosure on file. Application number 63/443421, United States Patent and Trademark Office.
