Electrical measurement of sweat activity
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Updated: Jul 4, 2026
A Detailed Protocol for Perspiration Monitoring Using a Novel, Small, Wireless Device
Published on: November 24, 2016
Christian Tronstad1, Gaute E Gjein, Sverre Grimnes
1Department of Clinical and Biomedical Engineering, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.
Abstract:
A multichannel logger for long-term measurements of sweat activity is presented. The logger uses skin surface electrodes for unipolar admittance measurements in the stratum corneum. The logger is developed with emphasis on clinical use. The portability of the logger enables recording of sweat activity under circumstances such as daily errands, exercise and sleep. Measurements have been done on 24 healthy volunteers during relaxation and exercise with heart rate monitoring. Recordings of sweat activity during sleep have been done on two healthy subjects. Early results show good agreement with the literature on sweating physiology and electrodermal activity. Results are presented showing measurements related to physical exercise, dermatomes, distribution of sweat glands and sympathetic activity. This study examines the normal sweating patterns for the healthy population, and we present results with the first 24 healthy volunteers. Comparing these results with similar measurements on hyperhidrosis patients will make it possible to find the most useful parameters for diagnosis and treatment evaluation.
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