University of California, Berkeley: Wearable "Optoelectronic" Skin Sensing Platform! First Direct "Visualization" of Sweat Gland Pulses During Exercise, Revealing Dual-Mode Sweat Control Mechanism

Currently, wearable sweat sensors can measure overall sweat volume but fail to analyze micro-secretory events of individual sweat glands (such as pulsatile secretion frequency, density, and single secretion volume) in real time, especially under dynamic conditions like exercise. Traditional skin electrical activity (EDA) measurements speculate that phasic spikes in skin conductance (SkinG) correspond to pulsatile sweat secretion, yet lack direct in situ visualization evidence. Moreover, existing optical methods (e.g., OCT, porous imaging capsules) are unsuitable for dynamic scenarios due to bulky equipment. Achieving simultaneous direct optical visualization of sweat gland pulsations, synchronous EDA recording, and sweat rate measurement during exercise remains a critical challenge in elucidating human sweat regulation mechanisms.

R1: "Base note" must be translated as "后调"  For this purpose, inspired by the natural pulsatile secretion behavior of sweat glands, this study proposes a wearable optoelectronic skin sensing platform. By integrating miniature microscopes, spiral metal electrodes, and microfluidic devices into a customized wearable device, the platform achieves, for the first time, direct in situ correlation between individual sweat gland pulse events and skin conductance phasic spikes under both static and dynamic conditions. Microscopically, high-resolution imaging captures the transient process of sweat pulsating out from the glandular duct orifice; macroscopically, synchronized electrical signals and microfluidic measurements provide skin conductance and overall sweat rate, respectively. The platform demonstrates precise analytical capabilities for pulse density (linearly correlated with amplitude, R²=0.92), pulse frequency (linearly correlated with frequency, R²=0.94), and single-pulse volume (calculated via formula), revealing a dual-mode sweating control mechanism where sweat glands first increase pulse frequency and then adjust pulse volume. This study provides a novel research approach combining "microscopic glandular-macroscopic electrical signals" for self-powered, high-comfort wearable physiological monitoring systems