Blood testing is about to undergo a radical transformation. A team of researchers has created a device powered by our blood capable of analyzing its composition in real time. This innovation promises to bring immediate diagnoses to the most remote places on the planet, overcoming the barriers of the current healthcare infrastructure. I'll tell you about it briefly then Find the study here if you want to learn more.
A solution for global problems
Metabolic diseases such as diabetes andOsteoporosis are on the rise around the world, especially in developing countries. Diagnosis of these disorders typically requires a blood test, but healthcare infrastructure in remote areas is often unable to support these tests. As a result, many people remain undiagnosed and untreated.
Professor Amir Alavi, of the University of Pittsburgh, explains: “As nanotechnology and microfluidics advance, there is a growing opportunity to develop lab-on-a-chip devices capable of overcoming the constraints of modern medical care.”
How the device works
The proposed device, as mentioned, is capable of measuring blood using the blood itself as a conductive substance inside an integrated triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG).
Professor Alan Wells, from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, clarifies its functioning better:
Blood is essentially a water-based environment that contains various molecules that conduct or impede electrical currents. Glucose, for example, is an electrical conductor. We can see how it affects conductivity through these measurements, and this allows us to make a diagnosis on the spot.
Blood analysis and nutrition in one device
The TENG system, as mentioned, can convert mechanical energy into electricity through triboelectrification. The device uses the movement of blood to generate electricity, a bit like rubbing a balloon on your hair. When blood moves through the device, it creates a small electrical current. Researchers measure this current to understand how well the blood conducts electricity.
This system allows the device to work alone, without the need for batteries, and to be very small. Using artificial intelligence, researchers then analyze the data and obtain precise information about the composition of the blood.
Because it is important
Knowledge of the conductivity of human blood is limited due to limitations in measurement. Which? For example, electrode polarization, limited access to human blood samples, and the complexities associated with maintaining blood temperature.
Measuring conductivity at frequencies below 100 Hz is particularly important for gaining a deeper understanding of the electrical properties of blood and fundamental biological processes, but it is even more difficult.
The proposed device overcomes these challenges by offering a precise and portable measurement method.
TENG blood tests: implications for the future of medicine
This technology could literally transform healthcare by offering quick and convenient diagnoses, improving patient health and the effectiveness of medical services. Blood-powered nanogenerators are capable of functioning in the body wherever blood is present, enabling self-powered diagnoses using local blood chemistry.
The ability to perform blood tests on site, without the need for complex laboratories or external power sources, will be crucial. As always, it will take the right amount of time before we see technology like this distributed everywhere, but this future already runs through our veins.
