UAE researchers close in on wearable hydration monitor

Device envisages detection of early symptoms of diseases like cancer, diabetes

Adevice that will be able to monitor a person’s hydration levels is under development by researchers at UAE University (UAEU) and, if successful, will have several positive health implications including the early detection of cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

“The device will be wearable and can be integrated into a smart watch that will continuously monitor a person’s hydration and dehydration levels by using sensors that track their skins condition. Current methods that exist are very invasive, inaccurate, and are also not able to continuously monitor a person’s hydration level at all times,” said Dr Najah Abu Ali, associate professor of networking engineering, one of the researchers working on the device.

“With this device, we can be able to detect the early symptoms of diseases like cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular ones that are sometimes linked with changes in a person’s skin,” she added. “For healthy people, the device will have a lot of benefits for them as they will be able to keep track of their hydration levels throughout the day, and so for example if they are playing sports the device will notify them as soon as they start to dehydrate and need to take water,” she said.

Smart connectivity

Abu Ali said the device will be able to connect with smartphones as well, which she said could be used by parents to monitor their children’s hydration levels.

Abu Ali said that the project is progressing well and that the goal is to have the device ready by 2020. “We anticipate to have the device ready within two years for commercial use,” she added.