Implantable chips can measure alcohol intake

According to New Atlas, a foreign media reporter, there are already some ways to detect people's alcohol intake in drug abuse monitoring programs. Scientists from the University of California, San Diego, led by Professor Drew Hall, have developed an alcohol sensor that can be implanted into the body. The chip. The chip is designed to be implanted subcutaneously. It will be located in the interstitial fluid surrounding the cells.

It contains three sensors. The main sensor is coated with ethanol oxidase. Ethanol oxidase is an enzyme that selectively interacts with alcohol to produce a byproduct that can be electrochemically detected. The other two sensors measure the signal and At pH, they are offset to improve the accuracy of the alcohol reading.

This reading is obtained through a wearable device, such as a smart watch near the chip's location. The watch sends a radio frequency signal to the chip, which then reflects the signal back to the watch - how they change to indicate how much alcohol is in the patient's blood. The chip takes only three seconds to take a measurement. This measurement may occur automatically on a regular basis throughout the day.

Researchers said that live animal testing plans are coming. 'This is a proof-of-concept platform technology,' Hall said. 'We have already demonstrated that this chip can be used for alcohol, but we envisage creating other products that can detect different substances of abuse, And customize them into the patient's body to provide long-term personalized medical monitoring.