Instantaneous Creatinine Testing Using a Flexible Disposable Radio Frequency Syst. (ICTFlex)

Description :

This effort introduces a new product that constitutes a transformative tool for creatinine screening by leveraging flexible radio frequency (RF) systems. Hence, applied electromagnetics, data analytics and machine learning methods are employed in order to assess renal damage seen in individuals with chronic diseases such as hypertension or diabetes. Such assessment is envisioned to be performed on both blood droplets and urine samples. The system introduced is a paper-based RF-system that reacts distinctively to specific constituents of the blood or urine, thereby enabling the instantaneous estimation of the glomerular filtration rate from measured creatinine levels. Such a system can therefore allow the assessment of renal functioning. This project introduces a portable creatinine dedicated instantaneous test system, similar to a lab on chip, which can be used by patients at the comfort of their homes providing them immediate access to the results without the need to visit a medical laboratory testing facility. Patients prick their fingers and place a droplet of blood or a urine sample on a specialized paper that has an RF circuit printed on it. The paper-based RF circuit is driven by a microcontroller that can be connected wirelessly to the user?s smart phone or any smart device through Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or cellular data. As a result, within seconds from dropping the sample on the specialized paper, the patient is able to read the blood work results and assess any impending complication. The proposed RF system features ease of utilization along with cost and time efficiency for patients in need of renal assessment. It is envisioned that such a device will have a positive impact on the quality of life of patients worldwide through continuous and on the fly monitoring of the various complications. Instantaneous creatinine tests can be integrated into a primary care initiative that will reduce inappropriate prescription or dosages of medications excreted via the kidneys. To that effect, ICTFlex will revolutionize the medical testing ability for creatinine and will provide patients with an easy to use tool at the comfort of their homes. Such testing potential exhibits great accuracy with a commercialization potential that extends beyond the local market to international healthcare providers and beneficiaries.