Researchers have created the first-ever device powered by blood to measure blood electrical conductivity.
Metabolic disorders such as diabetes and osteoporosis are on the rise worldwide, especially in developing countries.
The typical diagnosis for these disorders involves a blood test. However, in remote areas with limited healthcare facilities, many individuals remain undiagnosed and untreated. Traditional diagnostic methods are time-consuming and invasive, making real-time monitoring challenging, especially in rural populations.
A team of researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center have developed a new device that harnesses the power of blood to generate electricity and measure its conductivity, paving the way for accessible medical care anywhere.
“Advances in nanotechnology and microfluidics present an exciting opportunity to create lab-on-a-chip devices that can overcome the limitations of conventional medical care,” said Amir Alavi, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering. “These technologies have the potential to revolutionize healthcare by providing rapid and convenient diagnostics, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes and the efficiency of medical services.”
Understanding Blood Conductivity
Blood electrical conductivity is a critical factor in evaluating various health indicators and identifying medical conditions.
This conductivity mainly depends on the levels of essential electrolytes like sodium and chloride ions, which play key roles in numerous physiological processes, aiding in diagnosis.
“Blood essentially consists of a water-based environment with molecules that either conduct or obstruct electric currents,” explained Dr. Alan Wells, the medical director of UPMC Clinical Laboratories. “For instance, glucose is an electrical conductor. By measuring its impact on conductivity, we can make immediate diagnoses.”
However, despite its significance, knowledge about human blood conductivity is limited due to challenges in measurement, such as electrode polarization, restricted access to blood samples, and the complexities of maintaining blood temperature. Measuring conductivity at frequencies below 100 Hz is crucial for a deeper understanding of blood’s electrical properties and biological processes, but it is quite challenging.
A Compact Laboratory
The research team has introduced an innovative, portable millifluidic nanogenerator lab-on-a-chip device that can measure blood at low frequencies. This device uses blood as a conductive medium within its integrated triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG). The proposed blood-based TENG system can convert mechanical energy into electricity through triboelectrification.
This process involves the transfer of electrons between materials in contact, resulting in charge transfer. In a TENG system, this electron transfer and charge separation create a voltage difference that generates electric current when the materials undergo relative motion like compression or sliding. The team analyzes the voltage produced by the device under specific loading conditions to determine blood’s electrical conductivity. The self-powering mechanism enables the miniaturization of the blood-based nanogenerator, and the team has employed AI models to estimate blood electrical conductivity directly using the device’s voltage patterns.
To validate its accuracy, the team compared its results with traditional tests, demonstrating success. This breakthrough opens up possibilities for conducting tests in people’s own environments. Moreover, blood-powered nanogenerators can function inside the body wherever blood is present, allowing for self-powered diagnostics based on local blood chemistry.
