Researcher(s)
- Charise Jeudy, Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware
Faculty Mentor(s)
- Nathan Lazarus, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of Delaware
Abstract
1 in 1000 children in the United States are affected by juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). JIA is an umbrella term for arthritis of unknown origin, that onsets before age 16 and lasts more than six weeks. Physicians rely on physical examinations and imaging techniques to assess joint conditions, but assessing structural damage due to joint inflammation is tricker in children with arthritis due to their growing skeletons. Given these challenges and the limited number of pediatric rheumatologists in the country, there is a need for innovative diagnostic tools. Stretchable sensors have experienced rapid advances, increasing their applicability to the medical device space, due to their comfortability and ability to be worn long term. To address these challenges, we propose the design of a silicone-based stretchable smart device that consists of a 3×3 non-toxic eutectic gallium-indium (EGaIn) liquid metal array. The first design is a capacitive pressure sensor (CPS) with nine liquid metal electrodes on either side. As pressure is applied to the array the silicone gap between each side of the electrode decreases and the capacitance increases. In turn, it provides localized pressure data that can be used to pinpoint anatomical features and monitor changes in behavior from the knee. The second design is a liquid metal strain sensor that consists of eight 0.5 mm tubes injected with liquid metal and encapsulated in silicone to form a 3×3 grid. A design that allows for the monitoring of flexion and a lower-cost alternative to the CPS as it requires less material for fabrication. These approaches aim to improve diagnosis and track disease progression by providing real-time joint activity and inflammation data.