title: Hydration level monitoring using embedded piezoresistive microcantilever sensors.
abstract: A new MEMS based sensor technology, embedded piezoresistive microcantilever (EPM) sensors, may be useful in the real-time monitoring of hydration levels in athletes or other individuals whose activities may result in dehydration. In these devices, organic polymers or functionalized polymeric materials respond to osmolality changes in a person's saliva by expanding or contracting volumetrically. These volumetric changes are measured by tiny piezoresistive microcantilevers embedded in the polymeric material. In this report, we have tested a prototype device utilizing UV crosslinked poly(vinyl acetate) as the active sensing material. This device was able to reliably respond to 1% changes in sodium chloride concentration in solution or alternately to 1% changes in relative humidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Gunter
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Delinger
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reed
mesh_terms: D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D001834:Body Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006813:Humidity; D008904:Miniaturization; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D014159:Transducers; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014867:Water