First-Ever Blood-Powered Chip Offers Real-Time Health Monitoring

A research team at the University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA, USA) has developed a portable millifluidic nanogenerator lab-on-a-chip device that can measure blood conductivity at low frequencies. This device uses blood as a conductive agent within a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG). The TENG system harnesses mechanical energy from the blood and converts it into electricity through triboelectrification, where electron transfer occurs between contacting materials during movements such as compression or sliding.

This electron transfer and subsequent charge separation create a voltage difference that propels an electric current. The device measures the voltage generated under specific loading conditions to ascertain the blood's electrical conductivity. Its self-powering capability allows for the miniaturization of this innovative blood-based nanogenerator. The team employed AI models to predict blood conductivity directly from the voltage patterns produced by the device, and comparative tests with traditional methods have validated its accuracy. This breakthrough paves the way for deploying diagnostics directly to people's homes. Additionally, blood-powered nanogenerators could operate internally, utilizing the body's own blood chemistry for self-powered diagnostics.

“As the fields of nanotechnology and microfluidics continue to advance, there is a growing opportunity to develop lab-on-a-chip devices capable of surrounding the constraints of modern medical care,” said Amir Alavi, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering. “These technologies could potentially transform healthcare by offering quick and convenient diagnostics, ultimately improving patient outcomes and the effectiveness of medical services.”

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