A Portable and Rugged Base-Deficit Monitor

Casualties with vascular injuries can suffer from progressive shock during low-volume resuscitation procedures currently employed by field medics. Base-deficit is an excellent blood indicator of patient risk for progressive shock, and its earlydetermination allows for immediate patient evacuation and alternative resuscitation procedures to be employed. Current base-deficit monitoring devices are very expensive, non-portable, and susceptible to harsh environmental conditions. To facilitate thedetermination of each casualty risk of progressive shock, an accurate, portable, and rugged blood testing sensor will be developed by Lynntech, Inc., with the collaboration of Georgia Institute of Technology. By combining the pH sensing capabilities ofIon-selective Field-Effect Transistors (ISFETs), embedded within a disposable microfluidics chip, the proposed base-deficit sensor will be less susceptible to harsh environmental conditions typical of battlefields, thereby meeting Army ruggednessstandards. ISFETs have proven their potential as microsensors for biomedical analysis, exhibiting important advantages over conventional ion-selective electrodes in terms of small dimensions, low-output impedance, fast response, mass fabrication capabilityand potential integration within smart sensor array platforms. Lynntech has the required scientific (chemistry, materials science), engineering (mechanical, electronic and design) and laboratory technical expertise (analytical, fabrication-assembly andCAD) to successfully manage and support all aspects of the proposed research and development. The laboratory at Georgia Institute of Technology, run by Dr. Janata, has agreed to collaborate during the development and fabrication of the base-deficitsensor, providing the necessary background in Field Effect Transistor design and manufacturing. Georgia Institute of Technology has a modern Microengineering Research Center that can design and fabricate integrated solid state sensors. Thecommercialization potential of the portable base-deficit sensor is enormous. Within the $20 billion global market for in-vitro diagnostics, the fastest growing segments are cutting-edge diagnostic test systems and technology such as moleculardiagnostics, non-invasive technologies, and point-of-care testing.