Clarkson University has developed a 3D printed wearable biosensor to protect against sun damage

China3D printingNet November 24th, researchers from Clarkson University in New York have developed a customized bio-ink and deployed it to a series of skin-compatiblebiology3D printingIn the sensor.
The team’s novel ink design includes titanium nanoparticles, which, once exposed to ultraviolet light, undergo a photocatalytic reaction with colored dyes, causing the gel to change color.Using their new mixture, scientists can3D printingThe skin-friendly biosensor allows the user to minimize any damage caused by potential overexposure to the sun’s rays.

Silvana Andreescu, one of the authors of the paper, said: “Because of3D printingMachine has become cheap and easy to use, we decided to explorebiology3D printingThe ability to make these wearable UV-responsive sensors.when[传感器的]When titanium is activated by ultraviolet rays such as sunlight, the dye will degrade and change color, indicating exposure. “



The Clarkson team’s new bio-ink enables them to make a series of biosensors that are sensitive to ultraviolet light. The photos were obtained from the journal “Applied Materials and Interfaces”.

Solve the UV problem3D printingtechnology

According to the American Cancer Society, 1.7 million Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer each year. By 2020 alone, melanoma will kill approximately 6,850 such patients. Therefore, monitoring the level of people exposed to ultraviolet light is now an important research area, but it is also a very difficult area because the behavior of ultraviolet light is intermittent.

In order to fully understand the temporal and spatial changes of ultraviolet light, the Clarkson team determined the need for fast and low-cost detection technology. 3D printingSeveral methods such as injection molding and injection molding are considered feasible, but the researchers chose the former because of its lower cost, customizable options and overall accessibility.
In addition, bioprinting technology is increasingly being used to create biologically functional tissue structures, making it an ideal choice for producing the team’s UV-activated biosensor. However, after choosing the ideal production method, the team also found that a new biocompatible ink was needed to achieve the required continuous and safe skin contact.




A visual representation of the sensor’s titanium particles’ response to ultraviolet light. The picture comes from the journal “Applied Materials and Interface”.

Clarkson Group’s Reactive Bioink

In order to make their biosensors possible, according to China3D printingNet understanding. Researchers must first create a new type of bio-ink consisting of photosensitive titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles and multicolor dyes dispersed in a hydrogel.Alginate and gelatin were also added to the mixture to give it3D printingThe required viscosity and gel-like texture make it mechanically stable.
TiO2 was chosen because of its photocatalytic ability, which enables it to decompose organic materials through a series of reduction-oxidation chain reactions. In a scaled-down version of this mechanism, the research team sought to trigger the decomposition of the green, orange, and blue dyes in the sensor after exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

After scientists used CAD software to optimize the equipment design, they used Allevi 2 3D bioprintingThe machine produced a series of basic prototypes and then tested them.In order to evaluate3D printingFor the mechanical stability and uniformity of the equipment, the research team performed nanoindentation on them along five different points.


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Researchers use Allevi 2 3D printingmachine3D printingFor their biopolymer-based sensors. Picture from Allevi Inc.

The results show that the hardness deviation between the models is small, indicating that they have strong mechanical properties and reflect the high distribution of TiO2 particles. During the final product testing, these sensors also exhibited a strange behavior: dyes of different colors degrade at different rates to the same level of UV exposure.

Based on their findings, the research team concluded that the device can be customized according to the wearer’s skin sensitivity or melanin level to address their personal skin care needs.In addition, scientists discovered that their sensor has the ability to indicate whether a piece of clothing or tool has been exposed to sufficient UV levels for disinfection.
Regardless of the method used, whether in a medical environment or in a sunscreen environment, the research team sees its bio-inks and biosensors as a low-cost, accessible, and customizable solution that can prove to be future research Valuable platform.

Human body monitoring and additional biosensors

In recent years, researchers have developed various3D printingBiosensors, these sensors may enable users to closely monitor their physical health.Scientists at Sungkyunkwan University have produced a silicone elastomer and a sugar-based scaffold that can be used as the basis for manufacturing wearable medical biosensors. These devices proved to be highly sensitive to small electrical signal changes in the volunteers’ skin, muscles and brain.

A team from Washington State University (WSU) used3D printingTechnology has created a glucose screening device for diabetics. A new type of user-specific biosensor can be transferred to the skin and has been proven to be able to fit the curve of the human body.At the same time, researchers at the CCDC Soldier Center have created biosensors that can physiologically track the health of the US military. Microfluidic devices may also be used in the field as a means to protect soldiers from threats.

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