Wearable patch that continuously monitors glucose, ketones, and sodium
Official title: A Sensor Patch for Continuous Monitoring of Sodium, Glucose, and Ketones Concurrently and in Real-Time
Funded at Actiox LLC · NIH-11184456 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A tiny microneedle patch paired with a smartphone app that continuously measures glucose, ketones, and sodium to help people manage metabolism, nutrition, and hydration.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Actiox LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Thousand Oaks, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $989,576 |
| NIH project number | 5R44DK136459-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11184456 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include adults with diabetes or other metabolic conditions, people following ketogenic diets, athletes monitoring hydration and energy, or anyone seeking detailed real-time metabolic and nutrition data.
✕Less likely to help
People without metabolic or hydration concerns, those with skin conditions or bleeding disorders that prevent microneedle use, or individuals without access to a compatible smartphone may not benefit.
What this research studies
You would wear a small, minimally invasive microneedle patch that samples fluid under the skin to track glucose, ketones, and sodium in real time. The device combines potentiometric and amperometric sensors on a printed circuit board to measure multiple biomarkers at once and sends data securely to a mobile app. In this phase the team is refining accuracy, improving usability, validating data fidelity, and scaling semi-automated microneedle manufacturing. The mobile app will use analytics to translate readings into personalized nutrition, hydration, and metabolic guidance.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide real-time feedback on blood sugar, hydration, and ketosis to better tailor diet, diabetes care, and athletic or clinical hydration plans.
How similar studies have gone: Continuous glucose monitoring is well established, but continuous microneedle-based sensing for ketones and sodium is novel and not yet proven in large human studies.
Where this research is happening
-
Actiox LLC
Thousand Oaks, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tehrani, Farshad — Actiox LLC
- Study coordinator: Tehrani, Farshad
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.