Stretchable Strain Sensors for Real-Time Bladder Volume Monitoring

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Medical Devices

Background:

• Urinary incontinence (UI) significantly impacts quality of life.
• There is a need for advanced technologies for continuous bladder monitoring.
• Existing methods may lack comfort and biocompatibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel wrinkled metal strain sensor for real-time bladder volume monitoring.
• To assess the sensor's mechanical properties, sensitivity, stability, and biocompatibility.
• To evaluate the sensor's performance in realistic bladder conditions.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a stretchable wrinkled metal (platinum and gold) strain sensor.
• Mechanical characterization including strain range, Young's modulus, and gauge factor.
• In vitro bladder phantom and ex vivo pig bladder experiments for performance validation.

Main Results:

• The sensor demonstrated robust performance over 5000 cycles with minimal hysteresis.
• Mechanical properties closely matched bladder tissue.
• Achieved high sensitivity (4.60 mL^-1) and stability with a 230% strain dynamic range.
• Young's modulus: 11.7-32 kPa; Gauge Factor: 2.9-4.7.

Conclusions:

• The wrinkled metal strain sensor is a promising candidate for accurate and reliable bladder volume monitoring.
• It offers a comfortable and biocompatible alternative to traditional methods for patients with urinary disorders.
• This technology has the potential to improve patient care and quality of life.