Your skin is not only shiny – it is sparkling. And now science sniffs it.
Northwestern University researchers have developed The first contactless portable device in the world which can monitor your health by measuring gas naturally emitted and absorbed by the skin without ever touching it.
“This technology has the potential to transform clinical care, in particular for vulnerable populations, especially newborns, the elderly, diabetic patients and other people with compromised skin,” said Dr Guillermo A. AmeerProfessor of biomedical engineering who co-directed the study.
Secret signals
Your skin is not only a barrier; It is a double -meaning street between your body and the outside world.
Each day, gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, oxygen and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) move in and out of the skin, which also protects you from irritants, toxins and allergens in the environment.
The device developed by northwest researchers can monitor all this activity without even landing you, opening a new window on skin health.
Small but powerful
The gadget is tiny – only two centimeters long and a large and a half – and loaded with sensors which draw gas samples through a mini air chamber which hovers just above the skin without contact.
It is a change of game, because most portable devices must stick directly to the skin, which can be a challenge for people with fragile or damaged tissue.
The data he brings together can provide information on everything, Wound healing and hydration levels at the first signs of infection And even Exposure to toxic chemicals.
“For workers in potentially dangerous environments, it is useful to know how many of these dangerous species enter the body through the skin,” said Dr John RogersProfessor and researcher at Northwestern who co-directed the study.
Real -time monitoring at hand
One of the greatest advantages of the compact laptop is that it would allow patients to manage their skin health at home, eliminating the need for voluminous traditional hospital equipment.
Even better, it synchronizes with your smartphone or tablet to provide real -time data on gases that your skin emits and absorbing.
Researchers said this quick and accessible information can help health care providers make faster and more informed treatment decisions, which is particularly crucial for Wound healing.
“Prescribe antibiotics For injuries, maybe a bit of a bet, “said ameer.” Sometimes it’s hard to say if an injury is infected or not. As it is obvious, it could be too late and the patient can develop sepsis, which is incredibly dangerous. »»
Increased water vapor, CO2 and VOCs are linked to bacterial growth And slower healing, researchers therefore said that surveillance of these factors could help caregivers detect infections earlier and more precisely, which allows faster intervention and better health results.
“Being able to continuously monitor a continuous injury and prescribe an antibiotic in the first sign of infection is an obvious and important interest,” said Ameer.
Following steps
The northwest team plans that the device is used to improve the efficiency of repairing,, Skin care products and drugs designed to improve skin health.
For example, CO2 and VOCs attract mosquitoes and other pests. By measuring these skin emissions, it could help scientists develop better strategies to keep them away.
The device could also help dermatologists measure the speed with which lotions and creams penetrate the skin, while helping researchers assess the safety of cosmetics and personal care products.
In the future, researchers wish to refine the capacities of the device, in particular by adding a sensor to monitor PH changes and create gas sensors with more chemical selectivity for early detection of organs and other diseases.
“This technology is not only to measure gases and the corresponding characteristics of the skin,” said Rogers.
“It is a question of predicting overall health, preventing infection and disease and creating a future where personalized care is motivated by monitoring continuous non-invasive health in real time,” he continued.