Wearable sensor measures diabetes-related compounds from sweat

Researchers recently developed wearable technology that can measure cortisol, glucose and interleukin-6 through perspiration for up to a week, which could be beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes, according to a press release from The University of Texas at Dallas.

“We wanted to make a product more useful than something disposable after a single use,” Shalini Prasad, PhD, professor of bioengineering in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science at UT Dallas, said in the release. “It also has to require only your ambient sweat, not a huge amount. And it’s not enough to detect just one thing. Measuring multiple molecules in a combinatorial manner and tracking them over time allows us to tell a story about your health.”

Prasad and colleagues focused on cost-effectiveness throughout the design process to make the final device accessible to many people with type 2 diabetes, including those in low-income countries.

“We made sure we used processes that will allow for mass production without adding cost. Our cost of manufacturing will be comparable to what it currently takes to make single-use glucose test strips — as little as 10 to 15 cents,” Prasad said.

The device uses room temperature ionic liquid, a gel that stabilizes the microenvironment, allows for continual readings and works with all skin types.

The researchers are currently developing an app that would allow data from the device to be transmitted and stored.