Development of wearable device for real time non-contact hydration monitoring

A well-maintained hydration status is important for the well-being of human body. Significant deviation from the proper hydration state, either dehydration or hyper hydration, could lead to neurologic complications or even fatal results. Existing hydration measurement carried out in laboratory settings, such as blood and urine test, though accurate, require both expensive equipment and professional experiences. Some newly developed devices which measure saliva, sweat, or bio-impedance improved measurement flexibility but either with compromised accuracy or limited to specific activities. This project aims to develop a new hydration monitoring module based on frequency dependent interaction between radio waves and biological tissues, which could not only measure real-time hydration status in a non-invasive or even non-contact manner, but also be integrated with existing wearable systems. Intelligent algorithm will also be developed to adapt to individual variations. This project will bring new opportunities for both the partner organization and Canadian electronic industry.

Faculty Supervisor:

Zeljko Zilic

Student:

Junchao Wang

Partner:

TandemLaunch Technologies Inc.

Discipline:

Engineering - computer / electrical

Sector:

Information and communications technologies

University:

McGill University