Wearable Sweat Sensor Heat Pipe for Localized Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing biometric sensing technologies face challenges in effectively generating and collecting sweat for analysis, particularly in providing localized heating to enhance sensor efficacy and efficiently transferring heat to improve sweat generation around sensors.
Innovation Solution
A wearable device with heat transfer means formed using additive manufacturing, comprising a heat pipe that transfers heat from a higher temperature location to sensors, integrated into a wearable electronic device, which includes sensors to detect biometric parameters like sweat composition and rate, and a sweat transfer structure with absorption, evaporation, and transport regions to facilitate sweat collection and analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If heat transfer means is used to transfer heat from a first location to a second location proximate to sensors, then sweat generation around sensors is enhanced and sensor efficacy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A heat transfer means (heat pipe) is introduced as an intermediary component to transfer heat from a heat source at a first location to a second location proximate to the sensors. This mediator enables localized heating around sensors without requiring the heat source to be directly adjacent to the sensors, thereby enhancing sweat generation and sensor efficacy while managing device complexity through functional separation.
2Measurement precision
If heat is transferred from electronic components to improve sweat generation, then sensor performance is enhanced, but electronic components may overheat
Solution Approach 1:
The heat transfer means acts as an intermediary that extracts heat from electronic components (which would otherwise overheat) and transports it to the sensor location. This resolves the contradiction by converting potentially harmful excess heat from electronics into a useful function (enhancing sweat generation at sensors), thereby improving sensor performance while preventing electronic component overheating.
Solution Approach 2:
Excess heat from electronic components, which could cause overheating and performance degradation, is converted into a beneficial function by transferring it to the sensor region to enhance sweat generation. This transforms a harmful thermal byproduct into a useful resource that improves measurement precision.
3Ease of operation
If heat transfer means is integrated into wearable device, then localized heating for sweat generation is achieved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat transfer means enables dynamic control of thermal parameters at different locations within the wearable device. By transferring heat from a centralized source to specific sensor locations, the system achieves localized heating capability without requiring multiple independent heating elements, thereby simplifying manufacturing while maintaining operational flexibility.
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 solution enhances sweat generation around sensors, improving their efficacy and allowing for more accurate biometric parameter detection, while also providing cooling to prevent overheating of electronic components and reducing sweating in undesirable areas.
Implementation Method 1
The heat transfer means may comprise a heat pipe
Implementation Method 2
heat pipe that transfers heat from a higher temperature location to sensors
Implementation Method 3
transfers heat from a first location to a second location proximate to the one or more sensors
Implementation Method 4
the transport region comprises a wick structure which is configured to transport sweat from the at least one absorption region to the at least one evaporation region
Implementation Method 5
at least one evaporation region; which is configured to transfer heat from a first location to a second location proximate to the one or more sensors
Data Source
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AI summary
Examples of the disclosure relate to apparatus for sensing biometric parameters and methods of forming the apparatus. The apparatus may comprise one or more sensors configured to sense one or more biometric parameters from a subject's sweat. The apparatus may also comprise heat transfer means configured to transfer heat from a first location to a location proximate to the one or more sensors. The heat transfer means may therefore provide localized heating within the region of the one or more sensors. The apparatus could be provided within a wearable device.