Researchers at North Carolina State University have created a wearable patch that can detect hazardous gaseous, aerosolized, and aqueous environmental toxins and notify wearers by vibrating against their skin.
For this work, the researchers created a square patch slightly smaller than a driver’s license. The patch contains a microcontroller that serves as the patch’s brain; a very small battery; sensors to monitor for six environmental hazards; and a tiny actuator, which serves as the haptic motor that vibrates against the skin. The exterior of the patch also incorporates an array of thin-film photovoltaic cells, which allows the device to harvest solar power while being worn.