Scientists at DGIST and Sungkyunkwan University in Korea have developed a patch-based health diagnosis sensor system that is easily attached to skin, like a band aid. The sensor collects various health information in real-time by monitoring biosignals and certain movements.
The research was conducted by Professor Hyuk-Jun Kwon in the Department of Information and Communication Engineering at DGIST, in conjunction with Professor Sunkook Kim's research team at Sungkyunkwan University. The findings were published on the online version of IEEE Transaction on Industrial Electronics.
Professor Kwon's team created a stable structure for sensors to operate without damage despite extreme body movements. Moreover, the team greatly improved the vertical elasticity of the sensors by applying a zigzag paper craft structure, so that sensors can better endure intense body movements.
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The patch-based sensor was made of a biometric-friendly waterproof material, thus improving the difficulties in acquiring accurate information due to the skin-attachment problem. In addition, the sensor can also be connected to a smartphone using Bluetooth, so biometric data can be saved to a cloud server 24/7. This will enable a timely response to various emergencies such as infants, young children, and elders living alone.
Professor Kwon said, "The key for this sensor development was securing structural stability and skin adhesion that can endure very intensive physical movements. The sensor is very useful because as long as it is attached to skin like a band-aid, it can collect various biodata information. It is expected to be applied to observe and monitor animal and livestock diseases as well in the future."