Lab-on-skin biosensor with laser scribed graphene electrodes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wearable biosensors require expensive fabrication and are often too large for continuous, comfortable monitoring of target molecule concentrations and vital signs, limiting their effectiveness in real-time health status tracking.

Innovation Solution

A lab-on-skin biosensor platform with a microfluidics layer, multimodal sensing layer, and logic circuit that uses laser scribing and graphene electrodes for cost-effective, continuous monitoring of target molecules and vital signs through sweat, saliva, or other biological samples.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If traditional medical biosensors are used to capture target molecule concentrations, then accurate metabolite concentration analysis is achieved, but invasive blood sampling is required and fabrication is complicated and expensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemetabolite concentration analysis accuracyVSAvoidfabrication complexity and cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs disposable microfluidic cartridges with integrated biosensors that are pre-assembled and discarded after single use. This eliminates the need for complex, expensive reusable sensor fabrication while maintaining measurement accuracy through factory-calibrated disposable units.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The system separates the biosensing function into modular microfluidic cartridges that can be independently manufactured and replaced. This segmentation allows simple, cost-effective fabrication of individual sensor modules while achieving accurate metabolite concentration analysis through specialized microfluidic channels and integrated electrodes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If non-invasive portable biosensors are used to monitor vital signs, then continuous comfortable wear is enabled, but device size is too large and fabrication is complicated and expensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous comfortable wearVSAvoiddevice size

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes flexible microfluidic films and thin-film electrode structures that conform to body contours, enabling continuous comfortable wear. These thin-film constructions dramatically reduce device volume while maintaining non-invasive monitoring capabilities for vital signs and metabolite analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The system integrates multiple sensing functions (metabolite analysis, vital sign monitoring, temperature sensing) into nested modular components where microfluidic channels, electrodes, and electronic circuits are layered and integrated within a compact wearable form factor, reducing overall device size while enabling continuous comfortable wear.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Ease of manufacture

If non-invasive portable biosensors are used for metabolite concentration analysis, then sampling of sweat, tears, and saliva is enabled, but fabrication is complicated and expensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecost-effective mass productionVSAvoidmetabolite concentration analysis accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The microfluidic system incorporates passive sampling mechanisms that automatically collect and transport sweat, tear, or saliva samples through capillary action and integrated microchannels, eliminating the need for complex active pumping systems and reducing fabrication complexity while maintaining accurate metabolite concentration analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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

Enables accurate, real-time, and continuous monitoring of physiological data and vital signs, improving user comfort and reducing manufacturing costs, allowing for widespread adoption in health management.

Implementation Method 1

The microfluidics layer may comprise multiple microchannels transversely oriented to channel a biological sample from a first surface of the microfluidics layer to a second surface of the microfluidics layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMicrofluidics:

Implementation Method 2

The electrode, for example, may be configured to detect a measurement of an electrical property corresponding to a target molecule being present in the biological sample

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical property detection:

Implementation Method 3

laser scribing the electrode on a surface of the multimodal sensing layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaser scribing: Laser Ablation

Implementation Method 4

shaping the microfluidics layer to receive a biological sample, and laser scribing the electrode on a surface of the multimodal sensing layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaser engraving: Laser Ablation

Data Source

PatentUS20200359942A1Laser-enabled lab on skin

Publication Date: 2020.11.19 CALIFORNIA INST OF TECH

AI summary

A lab-on-skin biosensor for detecting target molecule and vital sign monitoring, a method of manufacturing, and a method of using the same, wherein the lab-on-skin biosensor is fabricated with a microfluidics layer, a moisture resistant layer, a multimodal sensing layer comprising an electrode, and a logic circuit that may include a processor and non-transitory memory with computer executable instructions embedded thereon.