CortiWatch: watch-based cortisol tracker.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Wearable Technology

Background:

• Sweat analysis is gaining traction due to non-invasive and accessible sample collection.
• Cortisol monitoring is crucial for understanding stress and circadian rhythms.
• Existing methods for cortisol detection often require invasive procedures or specialized personnel.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a small-form-factor biosensor for quantifying cortisol in human sweat.
• To establish a noninvasive, label-free, and cost-effective method for cortisol monitoring.
• To enable real-time tracking of physiological cortisol ranges for diagnostic purposes.

Main Methods:

• A potentiostatic circuit was designed on a printed circuit board for electrochemical analysis.
• Chronoamperometry (CA), a current-based electrochemical technique, was employed for cortisol detection.
• The biosensor was tested using low volumes of unstimulated sweat collected from the wrist.

Main Results:

• The developed biosensor accurately detected cortisol within the physiological range of 8-151 ng/ml in sweat.
• The sensor demonstrated sensitivity to varying cortisol concentrations.
• Electrochemical testing confirmed the device's capability for quantitative cortisol measurement.

Conclusions:

• The wearable biosensor provides a noninvasive and label-free solution for cortisol level monitoring.
• This technology is a cost-effective tool for tracking cortisol, aiding in circadian diagnostics.
• The developed device facilitates accessible physiological monitoring without trained personnel.