Smartphone-Linked Smart Wristband Could Monitor Health and Environmental Exposures

Wearable medical devices have been in development for the better part of a decade (or more) and can monitor and detect everything from heart rates to oxygen levels. They’re designed to ‘look’ for any abnormalities for people susceptible to various health issues, allowing them to get alerts for potential problems. Engineers from Rutgers University-New Brunswick have built a wearable wristband that follows suit by monitoring particles — including blood cells, bacteria, and other organic and inorganic airborne particles.

The engineers developed their wristband using a flexible circuit board with an embedded biosensor that’s outfitted with a channel (or pipe) thinner in diameter than a human hair. Inside the pipe is a pair of gold electrodes that detect particles (taken through pinpricks) as they pass through. A microcontroller then processes the data, and a Bluetooth module transmits the information wirelessly to a smartphone or other mobile device for review by medical professionals.

Rutgers engineers have also created an Android-based app to accompany their wristband that takes particle measurements and displays the relevant data, which can be saved or sent directly to health professionals who would be able to provide rapid results and take further action if necessary.

Blood cell counts are used to identify all kinds of illnesses and diseases- low blood cell counts are indicative of internal bleeding, while high white blood cell counts are most often associated with infections or certain cancers such as leukemia. The engineers feel their design could be used in a variety of biomedical and environmental applications where hazards are encountered, such as mines, industrial centers, or other toxic areas.