Intelligent Deformable Microneedle for Accurate Dermal Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microneedles are short and rigid, leading to poor accuracy in detecting substance concentrations, such as glucose, due to their limited penetration depth into the skin.
Innovation Solution
An intelligent deformable microneedle is designed with an elastic object, such as a spring, that compresses and expands to increase the effective length of the working electrode after penetrating the skin, allowing for deeper and more accurate substance detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If microneedles are made short and rigid, then manufacturing is simple and structure is stable, but penetration depth is limited and detection accuracy is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The microneedle incorporates an elastic object (spring) that allows dynamic length change. The needle transitions from a compressed short state during insertion to an extended long state during detection, enabling both easy insertion and deep detection without compromising manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical state of the microneedle changes from compressed to extended through elastic deformation. This parameter change allows the needle to achieve different effective lengths for different operational phases, resolving the contradiction between short length for simple manufacturing and long length for deep penetration.
2Length of moving object
If microneedles are made long to increase penetration depth, then detection accuracy improves, but manufacturing complexity increases and structural stability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than manufacturing a permanently long needle, the invention uses a short needle with elastic properties that dynamically extends to the required length during operation. This avoids the manufacturing complexity and structural instability associated with permanently long rigid structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic object is nested within the needle structure, with the spring contained within or integrated into the needle body. This nested configuration allows the long effective length to be achieved through extension rather than through a permanently extended structure, simplifying manufacturing.
3Ease of manufacture
If microneedles are made short, then manufacturing is simple, but penetration depth is insufficient for accurate dermal detection
Solution Approach 1:
The microneedle uses elastic deformation to dynamically extend its length after insertion. The simple short structure is manufactured easily, then transforms into a longer effective structure through elastic expansion, achieving both manufacturing simplicity and detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic object is pre-compressed during manufacturing to store potential energy. This preliminary action allows the needle to spontaneously extend to its full operational length after insertion, achieving deep penetration without complex manufacturing processes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The microneedle's deformable design enables it to achieve deeper penetration and more accurate detection of substances, even with short initial lengths, by elongating the working electrode post-penetration.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic object with a compressed state and a natural state, the elastic object is provided above the supporting seat and provided in a fixed state... when the free end is close to the fixed end, the clastic object is in the compressed state
Data Source
AI summary
An intelligent deformable microneedle includes a supporting seat; a counter electrode provided above the supporting seat; an elastic object with a compressed state and a natural state, where a working electrode is provided on an outer surface of the elastic object, and a specific enzyme that can react with an analyte to be detected is provided on the working electrode; a soluble needle-shaped body fixed on the supporting seat, where the soluble needle-shaped body completely wraps the counter electrode and the elastic object from the outside, and the soluble needle-shaped body has an inner cavity structure that enables the elastic object to be in the compressed state. The microneedle is internally provided with the elastic object, after penetrating into skin, the soluble needle-shaped body is dissolved, the elastic object inside is exposed, length becomes longer, and the working electrode of an electrochemical sensor is attached to the elastic object.