New Noninvasive Device Tracks Hydration Levels Using Bioimpedance

With different basking Texas summertime underway, nan threat of dehydration ever looms. Though this information tin scope from inconvenient to life-threatening, it's reliable to track.

Researchers from The University of Texas astatine Austin are moving to alteration that pinch nan invention of a caller non-invasive, wearable sensor designed to measurement a user's hydration levels continuously, successful existent time. Such a instrumentality could thief a shot subordinate enactment hydrated connected a basking September afternoon, support a firefighter battling a blaze from getting excessively dried out, aliases conscionable fto an agency worker cognize erstwhile it's clip to make a travel to capable their h2o bottle.

"Dehydration is simply a silent threat that affects millions of group each day," said Nanshu Lu, professor successful nan Cockrell School of Engineering's Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, who led nan study published successful nan Proceedings of nan National Academy of Sciences. "Our wearable sensor provides a simple, effective measurement to show hydration levels successful existent time, empowering individuals to return proactive steps to enactment patient and execute astatine their best." ​

It uses bioimpedance, a method that measures really electrical signals walk done nan body, to way hydration levels. Using strategically placed electrodes, nan sensor sends a small, safe electrical existent done nan arm. ​ 

How nan electrical existent flows done nan assemblage depends connected nan magnitude of h2o successful nan tissues. ​Water is simply a bully conductor of electricity, truthful hydrated tissues let nan existent to walk much easily, while dehydrated tissues defy nan flow. ​

Data collected by nan sensor is wirelessly transmitted to a smartphone, allowing users to show their hydration levels. 

Researchers conducted respective experiments to trial nan device, including a diuretic-induced dehydration study and a 24-hour free-living trial. ​In nan dehydration study, participants took a diuretic medicine to beforehand fluid loss, and their hydration levels were monitored utilizing nan wearable sensor and past tested against a urine sample. ​The results showed a beardown relationship betwixt changes successful limb bioimpedance and assemblage weight nonaccomplishment owed to h2o loss.

"Our experiments demonstrated that limb bioimpedance is not only delicate to hydration changes but besides aligns intimately pinch whole-body hydration measurements," said Matija Jankovic, co-author of nan study and a post-doctoral interrogator successful Lu's lab. ​"This intends nan sensor tin beryllium a reliable surrogate for search hydration levels, moreover during mundane activities for illustration walking, working, aliases exercising." ​

Traditional methods for assessing hydration, specified arsenic urine tests aliases humor analysis, are often invasive, time-consuming and impractical for continuous monitoring. ​Commercial hydration appraisal devices typically require bulky instrumentality and stationary setups, limiting their usage successful mundane life.

Hydration is basal for quality health. It plays a captious domiciled successful maintaining organ function, regulating assemblage temperature, and supporting captious physiological processes.

​Yet dehydration-a information caused by insufficient h2o successful nan body-remains a communal and often overlooked issue. ​Even mild dehydration tin impair cognitive function, beingness performance, and thermoregulation, while terrible dehydration tin lead to life-threatening conditions specified arsenic kidney stones, cardiovascular issues and heatstroke. ​

In summation to protecting workers successful utmost environments, nan instrumentality has imaginable applications successful wellness care. Continuous hydration monitoring could assistance successful diagnosing and managing conditions specified arsenic kidney disease, cardiovascular issues and chronic dehydration. ​ 

And hopefully, it could thief our Longhorn student athletes compete and enactment patient connected basking days."

Nanshu Lu, Professor, Cockrell School of Engineering, University of Texas astatine Austin

While nan existent type of nan sensor tracks comparative changes successful hydration, early investigation intends to found reference information for absolute hydration levels. This would impact collecting bioimpedance measurements from a ample organization to create a baseline for comparison. ​ 

The researchers besides scheme to research caller designs, specified arsenic breathable e-tattoos aliases sweat-wicking wearables, to amended comfortableness and capacity during extended use. ​They dream to grow testing to larger groups and research applications for different assemblage segments, specified arsenic nan forearm aliases thigh. ​

"This is conscionable nan beginning," Lu said. "Our extremity is to make elemental hydration monitoring accessible to everyone."