Athletes frequently face risks like dehydration, fatigue, and heart issues due to high-intensity performances. Although there have been advancements in sports science training, a wearable system that can monitor multiple health parameters is crucial to prevent these conditions. Existing devices, often bulky and limited to single-parameter monitoring like heart rate, sweat, or skin hydration, focus mainly on performance. We present a multi-sensor wearable system incorporating a microfabricated, ultra-thin, flexible sensor. This system, consisting of mouthguards and chest patches, continuously monitors saliva osmolality, skin temperature, and cardiac function. It offers an athlete's hydration level and physiological stress in intense perspiration and heat conditions. The system's effectiveness in tracking physiological changes was proven in field tests, capturing significant increases in dehydration and physical strain during hour-long training sessions. This demonstration showcases the system's ability to detect rapid physiological changes, offering crucial data for mitigating athletic risks and aiding clinical decisions, ultimately improving medical care in sports.
Outdoor workers, such as construction workers, are exposed to the risk of heat-related illnesses (HRIs) due to prolonged heat stress and heavy labor. Heat-related illnesses include heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heavy dehydration, and the like, which can lead to highly dangerous accidents on work sites. Thus, the prevention of HRIs is crucial. To address this, we developed wireless biopatches that can measure various physiological signals in real time, ensuring the worker's convenience. The biopatch directly monitors electrocardiogram (ECG), 3-axis acceleration, skin impedance, photoplethysmography (PPG), and skin temperature. It is designed as a rigid-flex system to ensure mechanical reliability and maintain conformal contact with the skin. The biopatch does not impede the workers' tasks with its small form factor. The developed biopatch was attached to the subject’s chest, allowing continuous physiological signal collection in real-time over a full working period (over 5 hours), displayed on a mobile phone via Bluetooth. These physiological signals can serve as biomarkers for diagnosing HRIs. With this approach, the biopatch shows a high potential for preventing HRIs in outdoor workers.
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