Bio-inspired fractal textile device for rapid sweat collection and monitoring
Journal
Lab on a Chip
Journal Volume
21
Journal Issue
13
Pages
2524-2533
Date Issued
2021
Author(s)
Abstract
In this study, a new design concept in sweat collection was developed to achieve rapid and intact sweat sampling for analytical purposes. Textiles with fast water wicking properties were first selected and laser engraved into tree-like bifurcating channels for sweat collection. The fractal framework of the bifurcating textile channels was theoretically derived to minimize the flow resistance for fast sweat absorption. The optimized collector with designed fractal geometry exhibited thorough coverage of emerging droplets without overflow. Great collection efficiency was achieved with a short induction time (<1 minute after perspiration begins) and a maximum sweat collection flux up to 4.0 μL cm?2min?1without leakage. After being combined with printed sensors and microchips, the assembled sweat collection/sensing device can simultaneously provide measurements of salt concentration and sweat rate for wireless hydration state monitoring. The collection/sensing system also exhibited fast response times to abrupt changes in sweat rates or concentrations and thus can be used to detect instant physical conditions in exercise. Finally, field tests were performed to demonstrate the reliability and practicality of the device in real-time sweat monitoring under vigorous activities. ? The Royal Society of Chemistry 2021.
Subjects
Bifurcation (mathematics)
Biomimetics
Textiles
Collection efficiency
Flow resistance
Fractal geometry
Hydration state
Measurements of
Physical conditions
Printed sensors
Salt concentration
Fractals
water
absorption
Article
controlled study
exercise
fractal analysis
geometry
human
human experiment
hydration status
measurement accuracy
microchip analysis
monitoring
physical activity
reaction time
reliability
skin surface
sweat
sweat test
sweating
electronic device
genetic procedures
reproducibility
textile
Biosensing Techniques
Reproducibility of Results
Sweat
Wearable Electronic Devices
Type
journal article