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Sensors based on sorptive-mechanical transducers for detection of physiological parameters according to the intramolecular compensation method

Subject Area Microsystems
Measurement Systems
Term from 2021 to 2023
Project identifier Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 459675326
 
Final Report Year 2024

Final Report Abstract

The project involved research on novel hydrogel-based sensors for detecting biomarkers. The focus was particularly on the detection of glucose, which is important for monitoring blood glucose levels. The aim of the project was to improve the properties of such sensors, in particular the response time, biocompatibility and miniaturization. For this purpose, the measurement method of intramolecular compensation was to be applied to a hydrogel sensor developed at the University of Utah. In a first sub-goal, a novel hydrogel was successfully developed that exhibits dual-responsive swelling behavior to temperature and glucose. In free swelling, it has the required property for volume compensation in the physiologically relevant glucose range. A second sub-goal was the development of embedded heating elements, which are used to adjust the temperature of the hydrogel transducers in the sensor. With the help of a novel manufacturing process, polyimide-encapsulated microheater structures were realized that are compatible with PCB circuit board technology. It was shown that thermoresponsive hydrogels can be selectively actuated in an aqueous environment using these microheaters. With the achievement of these sub-goals, an important prerequisite for the transfer of the compensation method to other hydrogel-based sensor principles was accomplished. Instead of the initially intended bending beam sensing principle, preference was given to two more promising sensing principles in terms of biocompatibility and ease of fabrication. Both sensing principles originate from the research group at the University of Utah as well. One sensing principle is based on microfluidic test strips that contain optically readable hydrogel structures for the detection of complex biomarkers. The other sensing principle is based on an implantable hydrogel resonator, which can be read out through the skin by ultrasound. In particular, the optical sensing platform was equipped with the newly developed hydrogel and extended with a closed-loop temperature control for compensation. Initial tests have shown that quasi-static compensation of the hydrogel transducer is possible and that the dynamic properties meet the necessary requirements. In the future, it is intended to use this sensor setup to carry out measurements using the compensation method and to detect other biomarkers in blood or serum as well. For the ultrasound-based sensing principle, instead of upgrading to the compensation method, other routes for improving the sensor properties were investigated in close collaboration with researchers in the group. It was shown that a spectral characterization can be used to determine an optimum operating frequency, which results in significantly improved sensitivity and linearity of the sensor. As an implant on one hand and as a point-of-care platform on the other hand, the two investigated sensors cover a wide range of biomedical applications and open up opportunities for future commercial success.

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