{"id":31467,"date":"2025-11-18T17:28:31","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T17:28:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/?p=31467"},"modified":"2025-11-18T17:28:32","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T17:28:32","slug":"innovative-sticker-transforms-your-drinking-cup-into-a-health-sensor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/innovative-sticker-transforms-your-drinking-cup-into-a-health-sensor\/","title":{"rendered":"Innovative Sticker Transforms Your Drinking Cup Into a Health Sensor"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-blockquote uagb-block-e7eb3fc3 uagb-blockquote__skin-border uagb-blockquote__stack-img-none\"><blockquote class=\"uagb-blockquote\"><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__content\">Engineers at UC San Diego have developed an innovative sticker that can monitor vitamin C levels using fingertip sweat, offering a battery-free and convenient solution to track nutritional health.<\/div><footer><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__author-wrap uagb-blockquote__author-at-left\"><\/div><\/footer><\/blockquote><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0dfbf163 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-size:16px;\" class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-post-author\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-author__content\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-author__name\">The University Network<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share uagb-social-share__outer-wrap uagb-social-share__layout-horizontal uagb-block-ee584a31\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-ec619ce7\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"facebook\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M504 256C504 119 393 8 256 8S8 119 8 256c0 123.8 90.69 226.4 209.3 245V327.7h-63V256h63v-54.64c0-62.15 37-96.48 93.67-96.48 27.14 0 55.52 4.84 55.52 4.84v61h-31.28c-30.8 0-40.41 19.12-40.41 38.73V256h68.78l-11 71.69h-57.78V501C413.3 482.4 504 379.8 504 256z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-32d99934\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"twitter\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M389.2 48h70.6L305.6 224.2 487 464H345L233.7 318.6 106.5 464H35.8L200.7 275.5 26.8 48H172.4L272.9 180.9 389.2 48zM364.4 421.8h39.1L151.1 88h-42L364.4 421.8z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-1d136f14\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"linkedin\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>A team of engineers at the University of California, San Diego has developed an innovative electronic sticker that can monitor an individual&#8217;s vitamin C levels using sweat from their fingertips. This breakthrough gadget, which attaches seamlessly to everyday items such as drinking cups, requires no blood draws, lab visits or batteries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:17px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/UCSD-sticker-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-31470\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/UCSD-sticker-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/UCSD-sticker-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/UCSD-sticker-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/UCSD-sticker.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>Caption: <\/em>This battery-free electronic sticker attaches to everyday objects like a drinking cup and monitors vitamin C levels from a person\u2019s fingertip sweat.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>Credit: <\/em>David Baillot\/UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:3px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This flexible, adhesive polymer sheet collects trace amounts of sweat from a person\u2019s fingertips as they hold a cup. Within mere minutes, the sticker harnesses enough power from the sweat to analyze it for vitamin C and wirelessly transmits the results to a nearby laptop via Bluetooth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0956566325009777\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Published<\/a> in the journal Biosensors and Bioelectronics, the new technology is a testament to the advancements in non-invasive health monitoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBy turning everyday objects like cups or bottles into smart sensors, people can gain real-time insights into their health and wellness without changing a thing about their daily routine,\u201d co-senior author Patrick Mercier, a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, said in a news release. \u201cWe\u2019re moving toward a future of \u2018unawareables\u2019 \u2014 devices that are unobtrusive and essentially invisible so that you are unaware that you\u2019re even using them. You just go about your day and your drinking cup can give you access to all this rich information.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tackling Global Health Challenges<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Vitamin C is crucial for immune function, tissue repair and iron absorption, but current testing methods are cumbersome and costly, priced around $50 per test in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This new sticker offers a simpler, affordable and accessible alternative, especially in resource-limited settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Most people only get a snapshot of their health once a year at the doctor. But our bodies change much more frequently than that,\u201d Mercier added. \u201cWe want to make access to health data as frequent and effortless as holding your morning coffee cup or orange juice bottle.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Technological Marvel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The electronic sticker integrates screen-printed electronic components on a flexible sheet. A porous hydrogel pad collects sweat, and a built-in biofuel cell converts the sweat\u2019s chemicals into electricity to power the sensor. The data collected on vitamin C levels is then transmitted via Bluetooth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fingertips are ideal for this kind of technology since they house over a thousand sweat glands, producing 100 to 1000 times more sweat than other parts of the body. This means the sticker can generate power even without physical exertion, making it practical for continuous use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Low-Cost and Widely Accessible<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The absence of a battery means the sticker is cost-effective, with potential production costs of just a few cents per unit. Its low cost could make it particularly impactful in developing regions, providing a critical tool for nutrition monitoring and health tracking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;This is an elegant extension of our early fingertip sweat-based technology toward effortless, continuous monitoring of personal nutrition and health,&#8221; added co-senior author Joseph Wang, a professor in the Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Looking Forward<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Future developments aim to extend the technology&#8217;s capabilities to measure other nutrients and biochemicals. The team envisions future iterations sending real-time data to smartphones or smartwatches, offering seamless health tracking throughout the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:16px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/today.ucsd.edu\/story\/sweat-powered-sticker-turns-your-drinking-cup-into-a-health-sensor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">University of California San Diego<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A team of engineers at the University of California, San Diego has developed an innovative electronic sticker that can monitor an individual&#8217;s vitamin C levels using sweat from their fingertips. This breakthrough gadget, which attaches seamlessly to everyday items such as drinking cups, requires no blood draws, lab visits or batteries. Caption: This battery-free electronic [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"single-no-separators","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[206],"class_list":["post-31467","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-tech","tag-uc-san-diego"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"The University Network","author_link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/author\/funky_junkie\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"A team of engineers at the University of California, San Diego has developed an innovative electronic sticker that can monitor an individual&#8217;s vitamin C levels using sweat from their fingertips. This breakthrough gadget, which attaches seamlessly to everyday items such as drinking cups, requires no blood draws, lab visits or batteries. Caption: This battery-free electronic&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31467","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31467"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31467\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31572,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31467\/revisions\/31572"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31467"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31467"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31467"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}