這種瘋狂的皮膚貼紙，可以無(wú)線監(jiān)測(cè)你的生命體征

As wearable technology grows ever more delicate and minute, some medical gadgets are on the brink of merging seamlessly with our skin. Researchers at Stanford University have now created a flexible electronic sticker that can wirelessly monitor a person's pulse, respiration and muscle activity at the same time.

隨著可穿戴技術(shù)變得越來(lái)越精致和精細(xì)，一些醫(yī)療設(shè)備正處于與我們皮膚無(wú)縫融合的邊緣。斯坦福大學(xué)的研究人員發(fā)明了一種靈活的電子標(biāo)簽，可以同時(shí)無(wú)線監(jiān)測(cè)人的脈搏、呼吸和肌肉活動(dòng)。

A recent description of the unique system, known as the BodyNet, claims the soft and lightweight sensors merge comfortably with the skin, stretching and flexing imperceptibly with each movement, heartbeat or breath.

最近，對(duì)這種獨(dú)特系統(tǒng)的描述，稱為“人體網(wǎng)”，聲稱這種柔軟輕便的傳感器與皮膚舒適地融合在一起，隨著每一個(gè)動(dòng)作、心跳或呼吸，它都在不知不覺(jué)中伸展和彎曲。

These precise wireless measurements are then beamed from the sticker to a nearby flexible receiver, clipped somewhere onto a person's clothing.

然后，這些精確的無(wú)線測(cè)量數(shù)據(jù)，從貼紙上傳送到附近的一個(gè)靈活的接收器上，可能就夾在你的衣服上。

So far, the technology has only been demonstrated on one individual, and the receiver is still a bit clunky, as you can see in the image below.

到目前為止，這項(xiàng)技術(shù)只在一個(gè)人身上演示過(guò)，而且接收器仍然有點(diǎn)笨重，如下圖所示。


But after three years of work, the team plans to refine their design even further. In the future, they hope physicians can use the device to track sleep disorders and heart conditions in real time.

但是經(jīng)過(guò)三年的努力，該團(tuán)隊(duì)計(jì)劃進(jìn)一步改進(jìn)他們的設(shè)計(jì)。他們希望在未來(lái)，醫(yī)生可以使用這個(gè)設(shè)備實(shí)時(shí)跟蹤睡眠障礙和心臟狀況。

"We think one day it will be possible to create a full-body skin-sensor array to collect physiological data without interfering with a person's normal behavior," says chemical engineer Zhenan Bao.

化學(xué)工程師鮑振安(音)說(shuō):“我們認(rèn)為，有一天，我們將有可能創(chuàng)造出一種全身皮膚傳感器陣列，在不干擾人體正常行為的情況下收集生理數(shù)據(jù)。”

That dream is still a ways off, but research on wearable technology is moving fast. In recent years, engineers from around the world have been developing new ways to stick medical devices onto the skin or embed medical sensors in tattoo ink.

這個(gè)夢(mèng)想還很遙遠(yuǎn)，但是對(duì)可穿戴技術(shù)的研究進(jìn)展很快。近年來(lái)，來(lái)自世界各地的工程師們正在開(kāi)發(fā)新的方法，將醫(yī)療設(shè)備粘貼到皮膚上，或?qū)⑨t(yī)療傳感器嵌入紋身墨水中。

As the industry flourishes, recent reports predict wearable medical devices could grow from US$8.9 billion in 2018 to US$29.9 billion 2023.

隨著該行業(yè)的蓬勃發(fā)展，最近的報(bào)告預(yù)測(cè)，可穿戴醫(yī)療設(shè)備將從2018年的89億美元，增長(zhǎng)到2023年的299億美元。

While other researchers have been working on similar sensors that stick on the skin, the new design from Stanford uses an impressive new wireless system. The antennae involved here is made from metallic ink, screen-printed onto a rubber sticker that can bend and stretch like human skin.

當(dāng)其他研究人員正在研究貼在皮膚上的類似傳感器時(shí)，斯坦福大學(xué)的新設(shè)計(jì)使用了一個(gè)令人印象深刻的新無(wú)線系統(tǒng)。涉及的天線是由金屬墨水制成的，絲網(wǎng)印刷在橡膠貼紙上，可以像人類皮膚一樣彎曲和伸展。

As it goes through the motions, the electric current running through this metallic ink is altered, giving minute measurements of a person's physicality. But while this flexible antenna allows for extremely close contact with the skin, all this motion in the antennae can disrupt the radio waves sent to the receiver.

當(dāng)它經(jīng)過(guò)運(yùn)動(dòng)時(shí)，流過(guò)這種金屬墨水的電流會(huì)發(fā)生變化，從而對(duì)一個(gè)人的身體狀況做出微小的測(cè)量。但是，雖然這種靈活的天線允許與皮膚非常緊密地接觸，但天線的所有這些運(yùn)動(dòng)都能干擾發(fā)送到接收器的無(wú)線電波。


To fix this, the team of engineers had to create a whole new type of wireless communication - one that would allow the antennae to send strong and reliable signals to the receiver despite being stretched and contracted.

為了解決這個(gè)問(wèn)題，工程師團(tuán)隊(duì)必須創(chuàng)造出一種全新的無(wú)線通信方式——這種方式可以讓天線在拉伸和收縮的情況下，向接收器發(fā)送強(qiáng)大而可靠的信號(hào)。

The wireless system used is based on radiofrequency identification (RFID), which is the technology that allows you to access a hotel room with an ID card.

使用的無(wú)線系統(tǒng)基于射頻識(shí)別(RFID)，這是一種允許您使用身份證進(jìn)入酒店房間的技術(shù)。

The system works only when a key card is placed near a receiver, because this allows for the battery-free key card to steal a little of the reader's energy. Using this boost, the card generates an access code that it then sends back to the receiver for access.

只有當(dāng)鑰匙卡靠近接收器時(shí)，系統(tǒng)才能工作，因?yàn)檫@樣可以讓無(wú)電池的鑰匙卡，竊取一點(diǎn)讀卡器的能量。借用這個(gè)能量，鑰匙卡生成一個(gè)訪問(wèn)代碼，然后發(fā)送回接收器進(jìn)行訪問(wèn)。

The BodyNet stickers work in a similar way, but with a system that becomes insensitive to strain-induced antenna disruptions.

人體網(wǎng)貼紙的工作原理與此類似，但其系統(tǒng)對(duì)應(yīng)變引起的天線干擾不敏感。

"Our BodyNet can maintain full functionality even when subjected to 50 [percent] strain," the authors conclude.

作者總結(jié)說(shuō)：“我們的人體網(wǎng)即使在承受50%的壓力時(shí)也能保持完整的功能。”

"Furthermore, the platform can continuously analyse critical human signals (pulse, respiration and body movement) and could thus potentially be used for real-time physiological and clinical investigations in a next-generation personal health monitoring system."

此外，該平臺(tái)可以持續(xù)分析關(guān)鍵的人體信號(hào)(脈搏、呼吸和身體運(yùn)動(dòng))，因此有可能用于下一代個(gè)人健康監(jiān)測(cè)系統(tǒng)的實(shí)時(shí)生理和臨床研究。

The researchers are now working on incorporating sweat, temperature and other sensors into their sticker, while also miniaturising the receiver so it can one day be woven into clothing.

研究人員現(xiàn)在正致力于將汗液、溫度和其他傳感器整合到他們的貼紙上，同時(shí)還將接收器微型化，以便有一天可以將其編織到衣服中。

The findings were published in Nature Electronics.

研究結(jié)果發(fā)表在《自然電子》雜志上。