High-tech wearables are generally found on wrists and fingers, but engineers at Tufts University have just created a new tiny tooth-mounted sensor. The unique sensor seems like a fashion statement, and it may one day be, but in actuality, it serves as a wearable piece of tech that monitors a person's health. The sensor is able to monitor dietary habits and accurately relays data about sugar, salt and alcohol intake to the wearer's smartphone.
The tooth-mounted sensor works thanks to a biosensor sandwiched between layers of gold. The gold acts as an antenna of sorts, while the sensor tracks measurements from inside the mouth and records what was eaten and how the body responded. Unlike previous in-mouth wearables, the tooth-mounted sensor is less obtrusive, though it isn't fully inconspicuous as the gold is still quite visible.
Image Credit: SilkLab, Tufts University
What's Driving This Trend
- Oral Health Wearables
- Creating a new line of oral health wearables can offer in-depth health monitoring capabilities
- Smart Dietary Tracking
- Developing more accurate and efficient ways of monitoring dietary habits can help individuals maintain a healthy lifestyle
- Miniature Biosensors
- Innovating miniature biosensors can revolutionize the way we track and monitor our health data
Who This Affects Most
- Dental Technology
- Incorporating miniature biosensors into dental technology and products can allow for easier health tracking during routine visits
- Fitness and Health Wearables
- Expanding the capabilities and accuracy of health wearables can appeal to the growing fitness and wellness market
- Food and Beverage Industry
- Partnering with food and beverage companies to create smart packaging or products that can interact with wearables can enhance tracking capabilities for consumers
