Your saliva (or) you’re spit says lot about your health information on wearables technology.
Researchers at University of California reveled a new sensor paper that can detect the concentration of uric acid—an elevated concentration of uric acid in the blood and urine has been associated with various metabolic disorders .
The device wirelessly transmits the information it collects to a smartphone or computer via Bluetooth Low Energy, a technology that consumes much less power than classic Bluetooth.
The researchers have shown that the sensors can be installed in the mouthguard and have tested it with human saliva, they haven’t yet tested the device in a person’s mouth.
Analysis:
Saliva is attractive as a diagnostic fluid because it can be collected without an invasive procedure like a blood draw, is easy to store, and contains lots of potentially valuable biological information. Recent research suggests the concentrations of many substances in the saliva correspond with their concentrations in the blood. But there is still a lot be learned about the potentially useful markers of disease or injury in saliva and how to use them.
About to use the Product:
Patrick Mercier a professor of electrical and computer engineering and the assistant director of the Center for Wearable Sensors at UC San Diego says, the first application would be targeted at athletes who train intensely and want to monitor the concentration of lactate in their saliva. He also says the Air Force is interested in wearable sensor systems that could monitor the stress levels of pilots.
But saliva-based diagnostics is a growing area of a research. “The bigger we can make that data set, the richer info we’re going to be able to get,” says Mercier.
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