Dehydration Sensor Using Polymeric Base-Buffered Ink
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional urine reagent strips for dehydration monitoring have limited reading windows, are prone to erroneous results due to reagent leaching and dye diffusion, and are not suitable for personal care products due to instability and inability to ensure correct sample application and hydration status assessment.
Innovation Solution
A dehydration sensor with a buffered ink system composed of a weak polymeric base, proton-exchange hydrogen bonding neutral buffer bridge, ionic surfactant, and pH-sensitive dye, which provides stable and accurate color transitions for urine specific gravity measurement, allowing for integration into personal care products and garments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional reagent strips are used for urine specific gravity measurement, then the device is simple and low cost, but the reading window is limited and results become inaccurate over time due to reagent leaching and dye diffusion
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is divided into distinct functional zones: a sample application zone, a detection zone containing the buffered ink system with pH-sensitive dye, and a control zone. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function independently, preventing reagent leaching between zones and extending the stable reading window while maintaining relatively simple device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
A buffer system comprising a weak polymeric base and a proton-exchange hydrogen bonding neutral buffer bridge is introduced as an intermediary between the urine sample and the pH-sensitive dye. This buffer mediator stabilizes the pH environment, prevents direct interaction that would cause dye diffusion, and extends the time window for accurate reading without significantly complicating the device structure.
2Measurement precision
If conventional dipsticks with lateral flow assay technology are used, then the measurement method is established and reliable, but the color development is unstable outside a brief time window making readings inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer system is pre-configured in the detection zone before sample application, establishing a stable pH environment in advance. This preliminary buffering action ensures that when the urine sample is applied, the pH-sensitive dye remains stable throughout the reading period, extending the accurate measurement time window from minutes to hours while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical parameters of the detection system by using a buffered ink system with specific polymeric bases and buffer bridges, rather than conventional reagent formulations. This parameter change stabilizes the color development process, allowing accurate readings to be taken over an extended duration while maintaining measurement precision.
3Reliability
If reagent strips are used for dehydration monitoring, then the cost is low and ease of use is good, but reagent leaching and dye diffusion cause erroneous results
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer system and pH-sensitive dye are merged into a single buffered ink formulation that is deposited together in the detection zone. This merging eliminates the need for separate reagent application steps, prevents leaching between separate reagent layers, ensures reproducible results, and maintains ease of manufacture through a simplified single-step deposition process.
4Ease of operation
If conventional urine test strips are used, then the device portability is good, but the ability to provide user feedback on correct sample application and hydration status is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor utilizes pH-sensitive dyes that exhibit distinct color changes in response to urine specific gravity and pH levels. The detection zone changes color based on hydration status, and the control zone changes color to provide feedback on correct sample application. These visual color changes enhance ease of operation by providing intuitive user feedback without significantly increasing device complexity.
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 sensor offers a longer reading window, enhanced sensitivity, and stability, enabling accurate hydration status monitoring with distinctive color changes, addressing the limitations of conventional strips and providing user feedback on sample application and hydration levels.
Implementation Method 1
Conventional reagent strips change color in response to the ionic strength of a urine sample. The ionic strength of urine is a measure of the amount of ions present in the urine. The USG is proportional to the ionic strength of the urine.
Implementation Method 2
Conventional reagent strips change color in response to the ionic strength of a urine sample... by assaying the ionic strength of the test sample, the USG can be determined indirectly and semi-quantitatively by correlating the ionic strength of the urine to the USG.
Implementation Method 3
A dehydration sensor with a buffered ink system composed of a weak polymeric base, proton-exchange hydrogen bonding neutral buffer bridge, ionic surfactant, and pH-sensitive dye
Implementation Method 4
proton-exchange hydrogen bonding neutral buffer bridge
Implementation Method 5
buffered ink system composed of a weak polymeric base, proton-exchange hydrogen bonding neutral buffer bridge, ionic surfactant, and pH-sensitive dye
Data Source
AI summary
A dehydration sensor having a stable, printable, buffered-ink composition that enables one to miniaturize the detection zone and permits both buffer and indicator dye to be applied in the same area of a detection zone, without need for a conventional, large buffer pad region. The ink composition includes a weak polymeric base as its primary buffering agent.