Wearable sweat patch for real-time hydration and taste preference tracking
This innovative wearable sweat patch measures physiological markers like sodium and lactate to understand how hydration and exercise influence beverage taste preferences. It aims to provide insights into fluid intake needs during physical activity to enhance performance.
Overview
The proposed solution is a wearable sweat patch designed to track physiological markers in real time, offering insights into how hydration status and exercise intensity influence beverage flavor preferences. This technology addresses the gap in understanding the interplay between exercise, hydration, and taste perception, which has traditionally been underexplored. By analyzing biomarkers such as sodium, potassium, glucose, and lactate, this device provides valuable data on how physiological states affect beverage choice and fluid intake, potentially enhancing hydration strategies and exercise performance.
Technical specifications
Key features:
- Real-time biomarker analysis: Continuously measures sodium, potassium, glucose, and lactate levels in sweat to assess hydration status and exercise intensity.
- Wearable design: Comfortable sweat patch that can be worn during exercise to monitor physiological changes.
- Comprehensive data collection: Includes sensors for heart rate and sweat flow rate to provide a holistic view of the user's physiological state.
- User-friendly interface: Offers easy-to-understand feedback on hydration levels and taste preferences to inform beverage choices during activities.
Technology readiness level
Currently at Technology Readiness Level 4, this technology is in the prototyping stage and undergoing validation through controlled exercise trials with volunteers. These trials involve both athletic and sedentary participants to ensure comprehensive data collection and analysis. The ongoing studies aim to refine the wearable device and validate its efficacy in predicting and influencing beverage choices based on hydration status and exercise intensity.
About Rice University
Rice University is a private research university in Houston recognized for small scale and intensive research. Industry engages through on-campus design and prototyping facilities and multi-tenant research space adjacent to the Texas Medical Center, enabling clinical collaboration and rapid validation. A university-backed innovation district in central Houston links corporate R&D with faculty labs, startups, and talent, and proximity to the Energy Corridor and NASA’s Johnson Space Center provides access to regional clusters. Research is supported by competitive federal funding from agencies such as NSF, NIH, DOE, NASA, and DoD. A dedicated technology transfer office supports IP strategy, licensing, startup formation, and streamlined sponsored research agreements.
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