Low-Power Wearable Enabled by Extended Gate Field-Effect Transistors to Advance Vigilant Biochemical Sensing

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Wearable Technology

Background:

• Biochemical monitoring of sweat via wearable systems presents novel avenues for stress management.
• Extended gate field-effect transistors (EGFET) offer a low-power platform for potentiometric sensing in wearable devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a wearable biochemical sensing platform for monitoring stress biomarkers in sweat.
• To demonstrate the detection of neuropeptide Y (NPY) as a key stress biomarker using an anti-NPY aptamer functionalized EGFET sensor.

Main Methods:

• Utilized EGFETs for potentiometric sensing, with in vitro validation for pH and electrolyte concentrations.
• Optimized sensor and system operation for neuropeptide Y (NPY) detection in sweat, ranging from 100 fM to 100 nM.
• Integrated a low-power sensing electronic system enabling 11 days of continuous monitoring on a single 150 mAh battery charge.

Main Results:

• Achieved sensitive detection of NPY within the 100 fM to 100 nM range, comparable to commercial benchtop systems.
• Demonstrated a maximum current signal change of 34.3% for 100 nM NPY and selectivity against cortisol.
• Established a measurement resolution of 13.59 μA/decade concentration change for NPY.

Conclusions:

• The developed wearable sensing platform shows promise for vigilant monitoring of stress biomarkers in sweat.
• This technology paves the way for non-invasive, continuous stress level assessment through wearable biochemical analysis.