IIT Bhubaneswar scientists have developed a flexible and wearable sensing system that uses light to take precise readings of human health. This wearable patch can be worn on any part of the body. It can detect body temperature, pulse rate, and bending or stretching.
The team is currently working on incorporating a blood pressure check-up feature into this. It does not use electrons in the same way that the smart watch does. This patch’s system is based on photons. It will be beneficial to healthcare professionals in the coming days.
Wearable electronics have come a long way, but their accuracy and longevity have been severely limited. According to Rajan Jha, physics professor at IIT Bhubaneswar, flexible and wearable optical sensing systems have the potential to overcome such challenges while meeting user needs.
Fully bendable and wearable sensor
“We introduce a fully bendable and wearable sensor that is capable of measuring body temperature, joint bending in different directions, and tracking limb activities, facial motions, respiration and pulse rate,” said Jha, who is heading such work in IIT Bhubaneswar at Nanophotonics and Plasmonics Laboratory in School of Basic Sciences.
He claims that because the measurements are based on changes in light parameters rather than current as in electronic devices, such a wearable device is extremely sensitive and accurate. Another advantage of this technology, he says, is its ability to measure multiple parameters at the same time.
Detect multiple physical properties over wider range
“We are currently extending our technology’s capabilities to detect multiple physical properties over wider range by changing factors such as the structure of the optical fiber, the coating on the probe area, and using biodegradable/biocompatible materials to make the system environmentally friendly and sustainable,” said the researchers Pratik Mishra, Subrat Sahu and Kalipada Chatterjee.
Last week, the team’s article on this research work was published in the international journal ‘Advanced Materials Technologies.’ Because of its extreme sensitivity and robustness, this indigenous system will find applications in robotics, smart clothing, and a variety of devices that monitor small movements.
According to Virendra Kumar Tewari, director of IIT Bhubaneswar, these promising wearable optical devices have the potential to revolutionise healthcare services and lay the groundwork for the growth of a new group of industries dedicated to commercialising public healthcare facilities.
