researchers at the University of California, invented a new self-powered, wristwatch-style health monitor. Irvine can keep track of a wearer’s pulse and wirelessly communicate with a nearby smartphone or tablet – without needing an external power source or a battery.

Figure 1: A new self-powered, wristwatch-style health monitor

Figure 1 shows that the team describe their invention, built via 3D printing of nanomaterials on flexible substrates for real-time and wireless monitoring of vital signs. The current prototype serves as a self-powered radial artery pulse monitor, but other aspects of health – such as heart rate, body temperature or blood pressure – can be gauged by simply changing the sensor circuitry. [1]

Rahim Esfandyar-Pour said, “Imagine you’re out working in a remote location – anywhere, the desert on a mission, in mountains hiking or even a space station, for example – and you need to keep track of your health information on demand, or there’s an incident, and you need to monitor someone’s vital signs urgently and accurately. This self-powered and wireless device allows you to do that without relying on a battery that can lose its charge and has the thermal runaway issue.”

The device delivers health information in two ways. In one mode, the energy created by tapping the wristband’s nano energy generators powers up the sensor circuitry, and soon the wearer’s pulse rate appears as flashing signals on an LED display.

The second mode works when a smartphone or similar device is held near the wearable. Embedded near-field communication technology facilitates the wireless exchange of both power and data between the wristband and the mobile device, and biophysical information is plotted and displayed on the smartphone’s screen. [2]

The on-demand and self-powered traits of the invention are made potential by triboelectric nanogenerators that produce voltage by mechanical thumping or strain. The TENGs are fabricated utilizing titanium-based MXenes, a comparatively new class of ultrathin 2D materials with distinctive electrical and mechanical properties.

Just a few atoms thick, MXene layers are bendable, are stretchable and may be printed onto the floor of versatile, bandage-like materials or a wearable arm- or wristband.

“This innovation achieves many significant outcomes in one package,” Esfandyar-Pour stated. “It enables continuous, battery-free, wireless and on-demand health monitoring anytime and anywhere. It’s made with low-cost and flexible materials and can be tailored to meet a variety of wearable bioelectronic sensors’ requirements. It’s a flexible, completely configurated system.” [3]

References:

1. https://news.uci.edu/2022/07/12/uci-researchers-invent-a-health-monitoring-wearable-that-operates-without-a-battery/
2. https://indiaeducationdiary.in/university-of-california-irvine-uci-researchers-invent-a-health-monitoring-wearable-that-operates-without-a-battery/
3. https://news8plus.com/a-health-monitoring-wearable-that-operates-without-a-battery/

Cite this article:

Sri Vasagi K (2022), Wristwatch Style Health Monitor Works Without Battery, AnaTechMax, pp.249