Wearable fluidic device and system for sweat collection and extraction
Inventors
Model, Jeffrey B. • Ghaffari, Roozbeh • ARANYOSI, Alexander J. • Lee, Stephen P. • Raj, Milan S.
Assignees
Publication Number
US-11337681-B2
Publication Date
2022-05-24
Expiration Date
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Abstract
A sweat collection device includes a flexible body having a first, outwardly facing surface and a second, skin-facing surface, and a sweat collection channel formed in the body, the sweat collection channel having a first end defining a sweat inlet port, and a second end defining a sweat outlet port. The sweat inlet port and the sweat outlet port are configured to be closed and sealed such that the sweat collection device and the collected sweat therein may be stored and shipped.
Core Innovation
The invention is a wearable sweat collection device that includes a flexible body having a first, outwardly facing surface and a second, skin-facing surface, and a sweat collection channel formed in the body with a first end defining a sweat inlet port and a second end defining a sweat outlet port. The sweat inlet port and the sweat outlet port are configured to be closed and sealed such that the sweat collection device and the collected sweat therein may be stored and shipped. The device is described as allowing a user to collect a known volume and rate of sweat that may be later extracted and analyzed.
The patent frames the invention as addressing limitations of conventional wearable sweat collection techniques, including inability to easily measure sweat volume and instantaneous sweat rate, skin irritation and altered microenvironment caused by occlusive patches, lack of visual read-out while the patch is on the body, captured fluid escape preventing effective long-term storage, extraction procedures susceptible to contamination, and reliance on trained professionals to properly execute. The background describes conventional devices as expensive, bulky, heavy, mechanically rigid, and preventing intimate coupling with skin. These shortcomings are said to limit the utility of known devices in forensic toxicology, health diagnostics, and sports physiology.
The wearable system further includes features described to enable visual indication and automated readout, including a biochemical assay or dye well positioned in the sweat channel to react with sweat and provide a visual or camera-detectable indicator, and an outlet member configured to facilitate transfer of collected sweat into fluid collection vials for analysis. The device is described as preserving collected sweat in its original liquid form, facilitating collection and extraction with minimal loss and minimizing undesirable interaction of the collected sweat with foreign substances. The patent also describes using imaging of the transparent microchannels with a camera and connected processor to determine total volume over time and to plot sweat rate.
Claims Coverage
This coverage identifies 2 independent claims and 5 main inventive features extracted from those claims.
Flexible body with outwardly facing and skin-facing surfaces
a flexible body having a first, outwardly facing surface and a second, skin-facing surface.
Sweat collection channel with inlet and outlet ports
a sweat collection channel formed in the body, the sweat collection channel having a first end defining a sweat inlet port, and a second end defining a sweat outlet port.
Ports configured to be closed and sealed for storage and shipping
wherein the sweat inlet port and the sweat outlet port are configured to be closed and sealed such that the sweat collection device and the collected sweat therein may be stored and shipped.
Parallel grooves on the skin-facing surface providing air and sweat flow paths
wherein the skin-facing surface further includes a plurality of parallel grooves formed therein, each groove defining a space between the skin of a person to whom the sweat collection device has been affixed and the sweat collection device, the spaces providing a path for air to flow, and a path for sweat to flow away from the sweat inlet port and the second sweat inlet port.
Second sweat collection channel with venting slit and assay well
a second sweat collection channel having a sweat inlet end and an elongated end portion that includes first and second closed ends, a transverse slit formed in one of the first closed end and the second closed end configured to vent air as sweat moves through the second sweat channel, and a biochemical assay well near the sweat inlet end, the biochemical assay well having an assay material deposited therein.
The independent claims recite a wearable, flexible sweat collection device having defined inlet and outlet ports and channels, ports sealable for storage and shipment, skin-facing structures (parallel grooves) to manage airflow and undesired sweat, and an additional sweat channel architecture including venting and an assay well for biochemical assays.
Stated Advantages
Collects a known volume and rate of sweat that may be later extracted and analyzed.
Inlet and outlet ports can be closed and sealed so the device and collected sweat may be stored and shipped.
Provides a visual indicator or camera-detectable indicator via a dye or biochemical assay well to monitor flow and volume in real time.
Facilitates transfer of collected sweat into conventional fluid collection vials for analysis with minimal loss during transfer.
Minimizes undesirable interaction of the collected sweat with foreign substances and preserves the sweat in its original liquid form to maintain validity for composition measurement and ease of analysis.
Documented Applications
Sports physiology and sports hydration studies for monitoring sweat volume, sweat rate, and local sweat loss.
Health diagnostics, including monitoring biomarkers and biochemical information from sweat for clinical analysis.
Forensic toxicology for detection of xenobiotics, alcohol, and exogenous chemicals in sweat.
Hyperhidrosis and neonatal care for collection, storage, and analysis of skin bio-fluids.
Point-of-care wearable fluidic systems to capture known amounts of sweat and facilitate extraction into laboratory vials for benchtop analysis.
Collection and analysis of wound exudate when used as part of a bandage or wound covering to assess wound healing and infection.
Characterizing effects of exogenous topical lotions, sunscreens, antiperspirants, transdermal drug patches, and implants on local sweat rates and sweat composition.
Remote and real-time monitoring using imaging (for example smartphone camera) to timestamp and analyze sweat volume progression and sweat rate.
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