Forscher haben ein selbst betriebenes Mikronedle-Patch entwickelt, um eine Reihe von Gesundheitsbiomarkern zu überwachen, ohne Blut zu ziehen oder sich auf Batterien oder externe Geräte zu verlassen

> In proof-of-concept testing with synthetic skin, the researchers demonstrated that the patches could collect biomarker samples over periods ranging from 15 minutes to 24 hours.

> The patch consists of four layers: a polymer “housing” – which is effectively the part of the patch you can see; a layer of gel; a layer of paper; and the microneedles themselves. The microneedles are made of a material that swells when it touches the ISF. The ISF wicks through the microneedle – like water through a paper towel – until it comes into contact with the paper. As the paper begins absorbing the ISF, the fluid comes into contact with the gel that is on the other side of the paper. That gel contains a high concentration of glycerol. The imbalance of glycerol between the gel and the ISF creates osmotic pressure that pulls more ISF through the paper until the paper is saturated.

>For the proof-of-concept testing, the researchers monitored for cortisol – which is a biomarker for stress that fluctuates over the course of the day.
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>“That means it’s something people may want to monitor multiple times a day without having to draw blood repeatedly,” Daniele says. “And there’s no reason the patch wouldn’t work for many of the biomarkers found in ISF.”
>
>Another attractive aspect of the patches is that they’re made from relatively inexpensive materials that are widely available.

[Design and characterization of a self-powered microneedle microfluidic system for interstitial fluid sampling – Lab on a Chip (RSC Publishing)](https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2025/lc/d5lc00590f)

Where have I heard this before?…