Wearable medical patches made sustainable

A big trend in healthcare is wearable technology. These wearable medical patches are applied to a patient’s skin to evaluate the electrical activity in the brain, or measure a patient’s blood sugar levels, body temperature, or heart rate. The observation of disease patterns such as skin cancer or chronic wounds is also possible.

Beyond being functional, these wearable electronics need to be comfortable for patients to wear, as small as possible, as well as last long to leave a minimal environmental footprint. This is where technology meets chemistry.

Covestro has teamed up with Accensors, a German specialist in the development and production of film-based sensors, to develop patches that meet these criteria. Their concept consists of a non-reusable element and a durable element. The disposable patch can be used only once. It includes the sensors and an adhesive to apply it to the skin. The reusable patch houses all the electronics, for example the measurement technology, power supply, data processing, radio transmission and if desired an optical camera.

Where Accensors is responsible for the electronics, Covestro provides the raw materials. These materials ensure the patches are lightweight, thin and flexible, and fit well to the surface of your body – you can hardly feel them. The adhesives are skin-friendly and offer low trauma when removed from the skin.

Associated SDG Targets