MIT develops biomedical sensors which diagnoses diseases with UV light

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northeastern University is back again with some interesting stuff - microworm biomedical sensors that detect medical status through a glowy UV light. Reading the conditions can be very simple as shining the light on the skin and seeing the glowy tattoos . The research efforts are being diverted for analysing the medical conditions inside the human body with micro-particle technology. Presently, the design team is facing many challlenges because the nano particle is often swept away during the normal body process.

microworm biomedical sensors

The Microworm biomedical sensor is supposed to be a microparticle sensor which resembles a long narrow tube. These small microworms are induced to tissues for providing a greater surface area during chemical reactions. Since these are very tiny particles so there are hardly any rejection issues.

This is how the process works: Pure aluminium oxide is used to create the tiny pores on which a new layer is deposited through a mechanism called chemical vapour deposition (used in chip making). The new deposit then crawls up-to the the tiny pores for covering the walls of each little tube with a shallow layer. As soon as the aluminium oxide is dissolved it lefts behind a new layer as millions of microscopic tubes. This is just the basic idea which needs much exploration.

Researcher Karen Gleason has said that many trials have been sucessfully carried out by filling the tubes (with a material that reacts to salt) and placing them beneath the skin of a mice. The technology could also have many utilities. It can be used for diagnosing and curing the diabetes patients. The UV light inside the skin will indicate the level of high or low level of glucose. Now, we can instantly know that what exactly is happening inside the body of a patient which otherwise is a very lengthy process.

Via: Fastcompany