Glimpse of the Future
This Band-Aid-Like Wearable Tracks Coronavirus Symptoms From Your Throat
A skin-like device listens for coughs to catch early signs of Covid-19
Every week, Future Human’s Glimpse of the Future brings you an image of the science being deployed to solve the world’s pressing problems.
This flexible wireless sensor is designed to be worn just below the suprasternal notch — the dent at the base of the throat — to track symptoms of Covid-19. Developed by researchers at Northwestern University and the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago, it continuously measures and interprets body temperature, heart rate, and respiratory activity, including coughing.
Many conventional wearable devices, like the Fitbit or Oura smart ring, also measure body temperature and heart rate but do so from the wrist or finger. The Northwestern team, led by bioelectronics expert John Rogers, PhD, wanted to design something that could better monitor breathing and respiratory sounds closer to the source.
From this position on the neck, Northwestern’s skin-like device uses algorithms to both identify coughs and assess the intensity of those coughs. It transmits that data in real time to a tablet to help doctors understand the wearer’s condition. By…
