Smartwatch that Effectively Measures the Level of Stress Hormone
The wearable can accurately measure the fluctuating cortisol levels and opens new possibilities for personalised health monitoring.
To combat mental stress, the human body produces the hormone cortisol, which acts as a natural antidote against the ill effects of fluctuating blood pressure, anxiety and related conditions. Traditionally, cortisol levels have been measured through invasive techniques such as collecting blood samples. Although such practice helps to diagnose certain diseases, it fails to capture changes in cortisol levels over time. [1]
Figure 1. Smartwatch that Effectively Measures the Level of Stress Hormone
Figure 1 shows Smartwatches today can monitor sleep, heart rates, blood oxygen levels, blood pressure, and much more. In addition, some watches are specially designed for health and fitness. Known as Smart Fitness trackers or Smart Bracelets, they can be linked to phones and offer fitness-focused technology, while smartwatches provide the whole package and also act as a phone on a wrist.
A team of researchers from UCLA developed a novel smartwatch to measure stress levels. The watch specifically monitors and measures the cortisol hormone released by humans affected by stress. The hormone is present in sweat in similar proportions to blood levels. The wearable has specialized technology to measure the hormone. The team says that measuring stress is not only a new addition to smartwatches. It can be used to warn users and help diagnose stress-related diseases. [2]
Within the new smartwatch, a strip of specialized skinny adhesive movie collects tiny volumes of sweat, measurable in millionths of a litre. An hooked up sensor detects cortisol utilizing engineered strands of DNA, referred to as aptamers, that are designed so {that a} cortisol molecule matches into every aptamer like a key matches a lock. When cortisol attaches, the aptamer adjustments form in a approach that alters electrical fields on the floor of a transistor. [3]
“We determined that by tracking cortisol in sweat; we would be able to monitor such changes in a wearable format, as we have shown before for other small molecules such as metabolites and pharmaceuticals,” said Sam Emaminejad, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, and a member of CNSI.
More than 20 years of study to measure key chemicals in the brain using probes and the presence of nucleic acids to recognise specific molecules culminates has helped Andrews to culminate her long scientific quest. Meanwhile, Emaminejad works on developing wearable devices with biosensors have contributed on tracking the levels of certain molecules related to specific health measures.
References:
- https://www.electronicsforu.com/special/editor-choice/smartwatch-effectively-measures-level-of-stress-hormone
- https://screenrant.com/smartwatch-wearable-measure-stress-levels/
- https://electronicstechnology.in/smartwatch-that-effectively-measures-the-level-of-stress-hormone/
- https://technologynews.co.in/smartwatch-that-effectively-measures-the-level-of-stress-hormone/
Cite this article:
Thanusri swetha J (2022), Smartwatch that Effectively Measures the Level of Stress Hormone, Anatechmaz, pp. 182