Micro-needle Biosensing Arrays for Minimally Invasive Fluid Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current biosensing technologies face limitations in minimally invasive methods, with wearable sensors restricted in signal acquisition and fully implantable systems prone to rejection responses, necessitating a solution that accesses body fluids without causing significant skin disruption.
Innovation Solution
The development of minimally invasive sensing systems using small needles that create pores in the skin to access interstitial fluid, combined with wireless communication and integrated sensors, allowing for real-time fluid analysis and potential drug delivery, utilizing CMOS and SOI technologies for efficient and non-invasive monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If wearable sensors are used for signal acquisition, then skin disruption is minimized, but signal acquisition capability is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the sensing function into multiple micro-needles that can be individually optimized. Each needle tip contains sensing elements that can independently access interstitial fluid, while the overall array maintains minimal skin disruption. This segmentation allows the system to achieve reliable signal acquisition through multiple parallel sensing points without requiring large-scale skin penetration.
Solution Approach 2:
The micro-needles are designed with local quality variations - the tips are extremely fine for minimal skin penetration and biocompatibility, while the shafts provide structural support and fluid transport channels. The needle tips specifically target interstitial fluid access points, creating localized high-quality fluid-sample interfaces that enable reliable sensing with minimal overall skin disruption.
2Reliability
If fully implantable systems are used, then signal acquisition is improved, but rejection responses occur
Solution Approach 1:
The micro-needle array acts as an intermediary between the external environment and the implantable sensing electronics. The needles access interstitial fluid without requiring full implantation of sensing elements, thereby reducing the foreign body response. The fluid is transported through the needle channels to external or minimally implanted sensors, maintaining signal acquisition capability while minimizing rejection responses.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces traditional mechanical implantation of bulk sensors with a minimally invasive micro-needle delivery mechanism. Instead of surgically implanting large sensor packages, the micro-needles are inserted through minimal skin punctures, substituting complex surgical implantation with a simpler, less invasive mechanical insertion process that reduces tissue trauma and rejection risk.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If micro-needles are used to access interstitial fluid, then skin disruption is minimized, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device merges multiple functions into the micro-needle structure itself - fluid access, fluid transport, and sensor integration are combined within the needle array. This consolidation reduces the need for separate components and complex interconnections, thereby managing device complexity while maintaining minimal skin disruption through the compact needle-based architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The micro-needle array serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the penetration element, the fluid transport channel, and the sensor substrate. This multi-functionality reduces the overall device complexity by eliminating the need for separate components for each function, while still achieving minimal skin disruption through the unified needle structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A sensing device allows detection of biological quantities in ways that are minimally invasive. Micrometer or nanometer sized needles allow sensing of bodily fluids in a minimally invasive method. The device comprises electronics and power harvesting. Antennas or coils allow communication and power harvesting from an external device, which can be attached to smartphones to allow operation of a camera and camera light for biosensing.