SENSOR

• US 20140206966A1
• Filed: 09/17/2012
• Published: 07/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Verily Life Sciences LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Liu, Zenghe, Amirparviz, Babak
• Application Number:
  US13/621,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20140206966A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/345
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1477 non-invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1486 using enzyme electrodes, e.g. with immobilised oxidase
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4845 Toxicology, e.g. by detection of alcohol, drug or toxic products A61B5/4848 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6821 Eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/04 Contact lenses for the eyes disinfection or sterilisation of contact lenses A61L12/00

Abstract

Apparatus, systems and methods employing contact lenses having an electrochemical sensor to detect ethanol concentration of a wearer of the contact lens are provided. In some aspects, a contact lens includes a substrate that forms at least part of a body of the contact lens and an electrochemical sensor, disposed on or within the substrate, that detects information related to concentration of alcohol present in blood of a wearer of the contact lens.

Claims

1. A contact lens, comprising:

a substrate that forms at least part of a body of the contact lens;

an electrochemical sensor, disposed on or within the substrate, that is configured to sense information related to concentration of alcohol present in blood of a wearer of the contact lens when the contact lens is worn.

2. The contact lens of claim 1, wherein the electrochemical sensor comprises an amperometric sensor.

3. The contact lens of claim 1, wherein the electrochemical sensor comprises at least two electrodes including a working electrode and a counter electrode.

4. The contact lens of claim 3, wherein the electrochemical sensor is configured to sense the information by sensing an electrical current generated between the at least two electrodes in response to oxidation of ethanol.

5. The contact lens of claim 3, wherein the working electrodes comprises a noble metal.

6. The contact lens of claim 3, wherein working electrode comprises platinum (Pt).

7. The contact lens of claim 3, wherein the working electrode is configured to directly oxidize ethanol.

8. The contact lens of claim 3, wherein the working electrode comprises an enzyme that oxidizes ethanol.

9. The contact lens of claim 8, wherein the enzyme includes at least one of alcohol dehydrogenase or alcohol oxidase.

10. The contact lens of claim 8, wherein the electrochemical sensor further comprises an electron transfer mediator that is configured to shuttle electrons from the enzyme to the working electrode.

11. The contact lens of claim 3, wherein an additional reference electrode is configured to control the working electrode'"'"'s potential and serve as a reference for measuring the potential of the working electrode.

12. The contact lens of claim 1, further comprising:

a circuit disposed on or within the substrate that is configured to receive the information; and

a transmitter that is configured to transmit the information to a reader.

13. The contact lens of claim 12, further comprising a processor that is configured to determine or infer blood alcohol level of the wearer based on the information.

14. A method comprising:

using a contact lens comprising an electrochemical sensor to determine or infer concentration of alcohol present in blood of a wearer of the contact lens.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising using an amperometric sensor to measure electrical current and determine analyte concentration of a sample.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the determination or inference is based at least in part on electrical current generated between at least two electrodes of the electrochemical sensor in response to oxidation of ethanol.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising using an enzyme that catalyzes ethanol oxidation.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the enzyme includes at least one of alcohol dehydrogenase or alcohol oxidase.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising transmitting information related to the determined or inferred blood alcohol concentration to a reader.

20. A device, comprising:

a memory that stores computer executable components; and

a processor that executes the following computer executable components stored in the memory;

an interface component configured to interface with and receive from at least one contact lens, data relating to blood alcohol level of a wearer of the at least one contact lens;

an analyzing component configured to analyze the received data and determine blood alcohol level of the wearer of the at least one contact lens; and

a display component configured to generate a display corresponding to the blood alcohol level of the wearer.