Feb 1, 2016Researchers Test Headband That Tracks Hydration
Flexible circuit boards that can be worn as a headband or wristband to keep track of hydration levels could be the future of preventing heat-related illnesses. Researchers at the University of California-Berkeley are coming closer to that future, having published findings for a sweat sensor prototype.
According to an article posted by Medical News Today, the prototype has 10 circuit chips connected to five sensors that track the user’s body temperature, potassium, glucose, lactate, and sodium. When they are in contact with the user’s sweat, the sensors transmit data to a smartphone app.
“The integrated system allows us to use the measured skin temperature to calibrate and adjust the readings of other sensors in real time,” the study’s co-lead author Wei Gao, a post-doctoral fellow at UC-Berkeley, told Medical News Today. “This is important because the response of glucose and lactate sensors can be greatly influenced by temperature.”
Currently, blood tests are seen as the gold standard for electrolyte and metabolite measurements. This type of wearable device has the potential to become a non-invasive alternative to give people real-time information about hydration levels.
