A new miniature sensor developed by Peking University researchers can wirelessly monitor a person's health data and communicate it in real time without going through the skin.
As noted in the journal Science Advances, the new biocompatible sensor replaces invasive through-the-skin wires, integrated-circuit chips, and cumbersome readout equipment, all of which increase risks of infection and limit portability.
The millimeter-scale, chip-less, and battery-less magnetic implants are paired with a fully integrated wearable device.
According to Peking University lead researcher Han Mengdi, in experiments conducted on rat models, the system provided "continuous, wireless monitoring of a wide range of biophysical and biochemical conditions within living organisms. The conditions include critical health parameters such as cerebrospinal fluid viscosity, intracranial pressure, and glucose levels."
The study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China; the Emerging Engineering Interdisciplinary Project, Peking University; the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities; and Peking Nanofab Laboratory.
Citation: Wan, J., Nie, Z., Xu, J., Zhang, Z., Yao, S., Xiang, Z., Lin, X., Lu, Y., Xu, C., Zhao, P., Wang, Y., Zhang, J., Wang, Y., Zhang, S., Wang, J., Man, W., Zhang, M., & Han, M. (2024). Millimeter-scale magnetic implants paired with a fully integrated wearable device for wireless biophysical and biochemical sensing. Science Advances. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adm9314 (open-access)