Matthew Brown, assistant professor from the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Binghamton University, State University of New York, and his team have shown how they have separated a gold CD’s thin metallic layer from the rigid plastic and fashioned it into sensors to monitor electrical activity in human hearts and muscles as well as lactate, glucose, pH and oxygen levels.
Such sensors can communicate with a smartphone via Bluetooth, according to the research team.
Experts can complete the fabrication in 20 to 30 minutes without releasing toxic chemicals or needing expensive equipment, and it costs about $1.50 per device. “This sustainable approach for upcycling electronic waste provides a helpful research-based waste stream that does not require innovative microfabrication facilities, expensive materials, or high-calibre engineering skills.”
Contributing to the research was assistant professor Yeonsik Noh from the University of Massachusetts who...