Sweat flow detector and monitor - uses electric cell to check concentration of salts in sweat as indication of possible hypoglycaemic condition

摘要

The sweat detector comprises a box (12) protected by an upper cover (17) separated from a grill (13) by a ring (29) and pierced by a number of holes to allow evaporation. The box contains porous material (8) in which electrodes are supported. The cell is used to check electrical conductivity which varies as sweat is soaked into the porous material. The cell is sampled periodically, the conductivity increasing as the concentration of salts in the porous material is increased by the flow of sweat. The response curve of the cell thus varies over successive samplings. The cell is used to monitor patients, being worn as a bracelet on the wrist. A rapid flow of perspiration may be taken as an indication of the hypoglycaemic state of the blood, which precedes a coma. Use of the cell may prevent irreversible brain damage.