Blood Monitoring Systems and Methods Thereof

• US 20060264715A1
• Filed: 04/11/2006
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infotonics Technology Center, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Infotonics Technology Center, Inc.
• Inventors: Mir, Jose, Zander, Dennis
• Granted Patent: US 8,108,023 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/309
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14503 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter or needle or using implanted sensors A61B5/1459, A61B5/1464, A61B5/1473, A61B5/1482, A61B5/14865 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14865 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter or needle or using implanted sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150213 Venting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150221 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150282 for piercing elements, e.g. blade, lancet, canula, needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150984 Microneedles or microblades
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/685 Microneedles

Abstract

A blood monitoring system is capable of monitoring the blood of a subject in vivo. The blood monitoring system comprises: 1) an array of movable microneedle micromachined within associated wells; 2) array of motion actuators able to move each needle in and out of their associated wells; 3) array of microvalves associated with each microneedle able to control the flow of air around the microneedle; 4) an array of chemical sensors inserted into patient by movable microneedles; 5) an array of inductors able to measure chemical concentration in the vicinity of inserted chemical sensors; 6) conducting vias that provide timed actuating signal signals from a control system to each motion actuator; 7) conducting vias that transmit signal produced by array of chemical sensors to the control system for processing, although the blood monitoring system can comprise other numbers and types of elements in other configurations.

Claims

1. A blood monitoring system comprising:

a substrate with one or more wells;

one or more needles with one of the needles in each of the wells;

an actuating system that moves the needles at least partially out of the wells when activated;

one or more sensors, with one of the sensors on each of the needles;

a detection system that reads an output of at least one of the sensors; and

a control system that controls the activation of the actuating system and the reading of an output from at least one of the sensors by the detection system.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of the wells further comprises a vent slot which extends at least partially along a length of the well.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of the needles comprises a base connected to an insertion post.

4. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the actuating system comprises:

another substrate with one or more hollow regions, wherein at least one of the hollow region is positioned substantially below one of the wells; and

an actuating device in at least one of the hollow regions and 30 coupled to the control system.

5. The system as set forth in claim 4 wherein the actuating device comprises a resistive element.

6. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of the sensors is permanently secured to one of the needles.

7. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of the sensors is detachably connected to one of the needles.

8. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of the sensors comprises a glucose responsive material on a magnetoelastic layer.

10. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of the sensors comprises a glucose responsive polymer layer on a magnetic composite layer.

11. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the detection system comprises one or more sensing windings with each of the sensing windings positioned about an opening to each of the wells.

12. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a retraction system that retracts the activated needles at least partially back into the wells.

13. The system as set forth in claim 12 wherein the retraction system comprises:

at least one magnetic layer at a base of each of the needles; and

at least one magnetic source which can be positioned adjacent to the base of each of the needles to retract the activated needles.

14. The system as set forth in claim 13 wherein the retraction system further comprises one or more stops to prevent the retraction of needles which have not been activated.

36. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the actuating system is configured so that each of the one or more needles is actuated independently.

9. The system as set forth in claim I wherein at least one of the sensors comprises a glucose responsive magnetic material on a mechanically resonant nonmagnetic layer.

15. A method for making a blood monitoring system, the method comprising:

forming one or more needles in a substrate with a well around each of the needles;

providing an actuating system that move the needles at least 10 partially out of the wells when activated;

providing one or more sensors on each of the needles;

Positioning a detection system to read an output of at least one of the sensors; and

providing a control system that controls the activation of the 15 actuating system and the reading of an output from at least one of the sensors by the detection system.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15 further comprising providing at least one vent slot which extends at least partially along a length of at 20 least one of the wells.

17. The method as set Forth in claim 15 wherein the forming one or more needles farther comprises etching each of the needles out of the substrate to comprise a base connected to an insertion post.

18. The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the providing an actuating system comprises:

forming one or more hollow regions in another substrate;

providing an actuating device which is coupled to the control 30 system in one or more of the hollow regions; and

positioning at least one of the hollow regions substantially below one of the wells.

19. The method as set forth in claim 18 wherein the actuating device comprises a resistive element.

20. The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein providing one 5 or more sensors on each of the needles further comprises permanently securing at least one of the sensors to one of the needles.

21. The method asset forth in claim 15 wherein providing one or more sensors on each of the needles further comprises detachably connecting at 10 least one of the sensors to one of the needles.

22. The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein at least one of the sensors comprises a glucose responsive material on a magnetoelastic layer.

23. The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein at least one of the sensors comprises a glucose responsive magnetic material on a mechanically resonant nonmagnetic layer.

24. The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein at least one of 20 the sensors comprises a glucose responsive material on a magnetic composite layer.

25. The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the positioning a detection system further comprises positioning one or more sensing windings 25 about an opening to one or more of the wells.

26. The method as set forth in claim 16 further comprising providing a retraction system that retracts the activated needles at least partially back into the wells.

27. The method as set forth in claim 26 wherein the providing a retraction system further comprises:

attaching at least one magnetic layer at a base of each of the needles; and

providing at least one magnetic source which can be positioned adjacent to the base of each of the needles to retract the activated 5 needles.

28. The method as set forth in claim 27 wherein the providing a retraction system further comprises providing one or more stops to prevent the retraction of needles which have not been activated.

37. The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the actuating system is configured so that each of the one or more needles is actuated independently.

29. A method for monitoring blood, the method comprising:

activating at least one needle to move at least partially out of a well in a substrate;

injecting a sensor on the end of the activated needle into a subject; and

reading the sensor to provide an output.

30. The method as set forth in claim 29 wherein the activating further comprises:

heating a resistive element in a hollow region filled with a fluid;

creating a vapor bubble from the heating, wherein the vapor bubble ruptures a base layer holding the needle and drives the needle at least partially out of the well into the subject.

31. The method asset forth in claim 30 further comprising retracting the needle.

32. The method as set forth in claim 31 wherein the retracting further comprises:

stopping the heating of the resistive element;

allowing the fluid to cool; and

retracting the needle as a result of the cooling fluid.

33. The system as set forth in claim 29 wherein the retracting further comprises positioning a magnet adjacent a base of the needle which has at least one magnetic layer to retract the needle.

34. The method asset forth in claim 29 wherein the injecting a sensor on the end of the activated needle into a subject further comprises leaving the sensor in the subject.

35. The system as set forth in claim 29 wherein reading the sensor further comprises:

creating a magnetic field; and

monitoring a change in resonant frequency of at least one layer in the sensor.