Disposable Health Patch Boasts Long Battery Life

Developed in the framework of the Holst Centre in Eindhoven, imec and TNO unveil a health patch that offers comfort levels and a long battery life, previously unseen in this type of device. It can also be manufactured at a fraction of the cost of previous generations, making it a user-friendly, disposable solution for ambulant patient monitoring.

 

The patch uses a mix of skin friendly and biocompatible materials.  The base substrate is a very thin, flexible and elastic TPU material. Most of the electronic functionality is realized using printed electronics technologies and integrated dry electrodes provide a stable and high-quality electrical connection to the body. A silicone adhesive is used to provide long-term adhesion at high comfort. Completely watertight, the patch can be worn up to seven days before needing to be replaced.

 

To limit the ecological footprint of the single-use patch, imec researchers have collaborated with Maxell Ltd. to develop an environmentally friendly battery which does not contain any toxic substances. Additionally, the MUSEIC V3 also improves the overall energy-efficiency because of its low-power signal acquisition. The imec solution has a battery life of over seven days, in many cases even longer, depending on the specific configurations.

 

More versatile than its predecessors, the patch now also measures blood oxygen saturation (SpO2). It also includes an accelerometer for tracking physical activity, an ECG heart activity tracker, and bioelectrical impedance monitoring. For more details, visit imec and TNO.