Researchers built a tiny wearable patch that measures cholesterol levels from your sweat
Caltech researchers built a wearable patch that reads cholesterol and triglyceride levels continuously using sweat without needles or lab visits.
Researchers have developed a tiny, wearable patch capable of measuring cholesterol levels through sweat, potentially revolutionizing health monitoring. Unlike traditional blood tests, this patch requires no needles and continuously monitors cholesterol and triglyceride levels in real-time. Led by Professor Wei Gao at Caltech, the team overcame the challenge of sweat and blood having an unpredictable relationship by incorporating a machine learning model that takes into account factors such as body mass index, gender, and sweat levels.
Additionally, the researchers developed a two-step chemical reaction to convert the cholesterol in sweat into a measurable form. The patch also incorporates a polymer that slowly releases ATP, a molecule essential for the sensing reaction, allowing for continuous readings for over 20 hours. While tested on only 24 participants so far, this innovative approach represents significant progress toward a future where continuous, needle-free health monitoring becomes commonplace.
Written by urgent.news from Digital Trends's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
