Micro-needle Nanosensor Patch for Intradermal Analyte Monitoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional blood analyte detection methods require invasive procedures using hypodermic needles, causing pain and potential infections, and are resource-intensive, necessitating a non-invasive and cost-effective solution for monitoring analytes in interstitial fluid.

Innovation Solution

A skin-mountable device with micro-needles and nanosensors that penetrate the skin to interact with analytes in interstitial fluid, coupled with a reader device for optical detection of analyte presence or concentration, allowing for painless and minimally invasive monitoring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If hypodermic needles are used for blood analyte detection, then analyte measurement is achieved, but patient pain and infection risk increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanalyte measurementVSAvoidpatient pain and infection risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the harmful hypodermic needle from the detection system and replaces it with micro-needles that penetrate only the epidermis to access interstitial fluid, thereby eliminating deep tissue trauma and infection risk while maintaining analyte detection capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces interstitial fluid as an intermediary medium between the external detection device and blood analytes. The micro-needles access interstitial fluid which contains analytes that equilibrate with blood, allowing indirect but accurate measurement without invasive blood sampling

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If conventional blood testing methods are used, then analyte levels can be measured, but medical personnel and administration costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanalyte level measurementVSAvoidmedical personnel and administration requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables patients to perform analyte self-monitoring at home using the micro-needle device and portable reader, eliminating the need for medical personnel involvement in sample collection and basic testing, thereby reducing administration costs while maintaining measurement accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces complex laboratory-based mechanical and chemical analysis systems with a simplified optical detection system using fluorescent nanosensors and a portable reader, making the technology accessible for home use without requiring medical infrastructure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of operation

If micro-needles are used for skin penetration, then non-invasive monitoring is achieved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenon-invasive monitoringVSAvoidmicro-needle and nanosensor integration

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple functions into the micro-needle structure itself: the micro-needles serve as both the penetration element and the substrate for mounting fluorescent nanosensors, eliminating the need for separate complex assembly components while achieving non-invasive monitoring

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 convenient, non-invasive monitoring of analytes like glucose levels, reducing the need for medical personnel and administration costs while avoiding needle-related complications.

Implementation Method 1

nanosensors comprising nanoparticles having a detectable label and configured to interact with a specific analyte present in interstitial fluid

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluorescence: Fluorescence

Implementation Method 2

a reader device, wherein the reader device is configured to detect the target analyte via interaction with the skin-mountable device

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOptical detection: Absorption Spectroscopy

Data Source

PatentUS9974471B1Analyte detection system and method for intradermal implantation of biocompatible optode nanosensors

Publication Date: 2018.05.22 VERILY LIFE SCIENCES LLC

AI summary

A device and system for measuring and/or monitoring an analyte present on the skin is provided. The system includes a skin-mountable device that may be attached to an external skin surface and a reader device. The skin-mountable device includes a substrate, a plurality of micro-needles, and nanosensors. The micro-needles are attached to the substrate such that attachment of the substrate to an external skin surface causes to the micro-needles to penetrate into the epidermis, intradermis, or dermis. The nanosensors include a detectable label and are configured to interact with a target analyte present in the interstitial fluid in the epidermis, intradermis, or dermis. The reader device is configured to detect the analyte in interstitial fluid via interaction with the skin-mountable device.