Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Sensor worn on teeth records all people eat
A TINY sensor that can be fitted to a tooth to monitor your alcohol, sugar and salt intake has been devised by scientists.
The 2mm x 2mm device connects wirelessly to a user’s cellular phone, transmitting and recording information on what they are eating and drinking.
It could help doctors advise patients on their diet and check if they are sticking to it.
The sensor, developed at Tufts University School of Engineering in the US, could be another step forward in health monitoring where activity trackers such as Fitbits have already had an impact.
The researchers, publishing their findings in the journal Advanced Materials, say that their device could be adapted to detect a wide range of nutrients, chemicals and even monitor stress hormones in saliva.
Such sensors could also monitor dental health, as well as monitoring sugar or salt intake for people who need to limit consumption.
One application could be for patients with high blood pressure who have lost their sense of taste.
Too much salt in the diet can cause blood pressure to rise and the sensor could warn when too much salty food has been eaten.
Another use could be monitoring glucose intake for people with diabetes.
Up to now, monitoring what people eat has been difficult because of the bulk of devices designed to go in the mouth.
This sensor is composed of three sandwiched layers: a central layer that responds to the nutrient or other chemicals to be detected and two outer layers consisting of two squareshaped gold rings.
When the inner layer is activated, it works with the outer layers to act like a tiny antenna, collecting and transmitting waves in the radio-frequency spectrum.
Dr Fiorenzo Omenetto, who devised the sensor, said: “In theory we can modify the bioresponsive layer in these sensors to target other chemicals.”
He said they had created a sensor package that can dynamically read and transmit information on its environment, whether it is affixed to a tooth, skin or any surface. – Daily Mail