# US 12,004,876 B2 · Auto-powered synthetic skin

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- Number: US 12,004,876 B2
- Document ID: US12004876B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/237,925
- Filed: 2021-04-22
- Published: 2022-04-14
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2020-10-14
- Assignees: California Institute of Technology
- Applicants: California Institute of Technology
- Inventors: Wei Gao; You Yu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12004876B2

## CPC

- A61B 5/6832: {using adhesives (conductive adhesive for bioelectric electrodes A61B5/259)}
- A61B 5/0004: {characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted}
- A61B 5/002: {Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building (A61B5/0017 takes precedence)}
- A61B 5/0053: {by applying pressure, e.g. compression, indentation, palpation, grasping, gauging}
- A61B 5/14517: {for sweat}
- A61B 5/14546: {for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes}
- A61B 5/1477: non-invasive
- A61B 5/1486: using enzyme electrodes, e.g. with immobilised oxidase
- A61B 5/6833: {Adhesive patches}
- H01M 8/16: Biochemical fuel cells, i.e. cells in which microorganisms function as catalysts
- A61B 10/0051: {for taking saliva or sputum samples (devices for receiving spittle A61J9/00)}
- A61B 10/0064: {for taking sweat or sebum samples (measuring sweat production A61B5/4266)}
- A61B 10/007: {for taking urine samples (measuring urological functions A61B5/20; genital receptacles A61F5/451; urinals for bed-ridden persons A61G9/006)}
- A61B 2010/0067: {Tear or lachrymal fluid}
- A61B 2560/0214: of power generation or supply
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

An auto-powered biosensor capable detecting a target molecule, and a method of powering the same, wherein the biosensor is fabricated with a microfluidics layer, a multimodal sensing layer comprising a biofuel cell and an electrode, and a logic circuit that may include a processor and non-transitory memory with computer executable instructions embedded thereon.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A biosensor capable of self-power, the biosensor comprising:
a microfluidics layer;
a multimodal sensing layer comprising an electrode and a biofuel cell; and
a logic circuit comprising a processor and a non-transitory memory with computer executable instructions embedded thereon;
wherein the microfluidics layer comprises multiple microchannels transversely oriented to obtain a biological sample, the biological sample comprising a target molecule and an energy molecule;
the multimodal sensing layer is fluidically coupled to the microfluidics layer to receive the biological sample from the microchannels;
the electrode configured to detect a measurement of an electrical property corresponding to a target molecule present in the biological sample;
the biofuel cell comprises a lactate oxidase immobilized anode and a Pt-alloy cathode and is configured to harvest energy from the energy molecule present in the biological sample to power the biosensor;
wherein the lactate oxidase immobilized anode comprises hierarchical Ni microstructures (h-Ni), reduced graphene oxide (rGO) films, and bimediator modified carbon nanotubes (CNTs); and
the logic circuit is electrically coupled to the electrode and the computer executable instructions cause the processor to identify the electrical property detected with the electrode when the target molecule is present in the biological sample.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The biosensor of claim 1, wherein the biological sample comprises one or more of sweat, tears, blood, urine, and saliva.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The biosensor of claim 2, wherein the biological sample comprises sweat.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The biosensor of claim 1, wherein the electrical property is an electrical current.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The biosensor of claim 1, wherein the electrical property is an electrical voltage.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The biosensor of claim 1, wherein the electrical property is an electrical impedance.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The biosensor of claim 1, wherein the computer executable instructions cause the processor to generate an indication identifying the presence of the target molecule based on the electrical property detected with the electrode.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The biosensor of claim 7, wherein the computer executable instructions further cause the processor to wirelessly transmit to the user the indication identifying the presence of the target molecule.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The biosensor of claim 8, wherein wireless transmission of the indication to the user identifying the presence of the target molecule comprises Bluetooth® communication.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The biosensor of claim 1, further comprising a moisture resistant layer.

### Claim 11

A method for powering a biosensor comprised of a microfluidics layer comprising multiple microchannels transversely oriented to obtain a biological sample, a multimodal sensing layer fluidically coupled to the microfluidics layer and comprising an electrode and a biofuel cell, and a logic circuit, the method comprising:
receiving, a biological sample comprising an energy molecule, such that the biological sample can be channeled through the microfluidics layer to the multimodal sensing layer; and
harvesting, with the biofuel cell, energy from an energy molecule present in the biological sample;
wherein the biofuel cell comprises a lactate oxidase immobilized anode and a Pt-alloy cathode and is configured to harvest energy from the energy molecule present in the biological sample to power the biosensor;
wherein the lactate oxidase immobilized anode comprises hierarchical Ni microstructures (h-Ni), reduced graphene oxide (rGO) films, and bimediator modified carbon nanotubes (CNTs).

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein harvesting energy with the biofuel cell comprises catalyzing lactate to pyruvate.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein harvesting energy with the biofuel cell comprises reducing oxygen to water.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the biological sample comprises one or more of sweat, tears, blood, urine, and saliva.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the target molecule is lactate.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein harvesting energy with the biofuel cell comprises catalyzing lactate to pyruvate.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein harvesting energy with the biofuel cell comprises reducing oxygen to water.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the biological sample comprises one or more of sweat, tears, blood, urine, and saliva.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the biological sample comprises sweat.