Hossam Haick

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) sensor arrays have garnered considerable attention due to their potential to provide real‐time information for monitoring pollution levels and personal health associated concerning VOCs in the ambient environment. Here, an AI‐driven wearable mask‐inspired self‐healing sensor array (MISSA), created using a simplified single‐step stacking technique for detecting and identifying VOCs is presented. This wearable MISSA comprises three vertically placed breathable self‐healing gas sensors (BSGS) with linear response behavior, consistent repeatability, and reliable self‐healing abilities. For wearable and portable monitoring, the MISSA is combined with a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) to produce a mobile‐compatible wireless system. Due to the distinct layers of MISSA, it creates exclusive code bars for four distinct VOCs over three concentration levels. This grants precise …

Cardiac monitoring after heart surgeries is crucial for health maintenance and detecting postoperative complications early. However, current methods like rigid implants have limitations, as they require performing second complex surgeries for removal, increasing infection and inflammation risks, thus prompting research for improved sensing monitoring technologies. Herein, we introduce a nanosensor platform that is biodegradable, biocompatible, and integrated with multifunctions, suitable for use as implants for cardiac monitoring. The device has two electrochemical biosensors for sensing lactic acid and pH as well as a pressure sensor and a chemiresistor array for detecting volatile organic compounds. Its biocompatibility with myocytes has been tested in vitro, and its biodegradability and sensing function have been proven with ex vivo experiments using a three-dimensional (3D)-printed heart model and 3D …

A self-healing field-effect transistor (FET) device is disclosed in this application, the self-healing FET has a self-healing substrate, a self-healing dielectric layer, a gate electrode, at least one source electrode, at least one drain electrode, and at least one channel. The self-healing substrate and the self-healing dielectric layer have a disulfide-containing poly (urea-urethane)(PUU) polymer. The self-healing dielectric layer has a thickness of less than about 10 μm. The electrodes have electrically conductive elongated nanostructures. The at least one channel has semi-conducting elongated nanostructures.

Monitoring and documenting chemical stimuli or environmental changes are increasingly becoming essential tools for the understanding and development of human health and other aspects of our daily life. A highly performing sensor unit is essential to accomplish this goal. In the current chapter, we have reviewed the key features, operating principles, and development of nanomaterial‐based transistors for chemical and biological sensing based on the FET platform. Several FET‐type gas sensors we reviewed are 2D black phosphorus‐based FET sensors and graphene FET biosensors.

Online monitoring of prognostic biomarkers is critically important when diagnosing disorders and assessing individuals' health, especially for chronic and infectious diseases. Despite this, current diagnosis techniques are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and performed offline. In this context, developing wearable devices for continuous measurements of multiple biomarkers from body fluids has considerable advantages including availability, rapidity, convenience, and minimal invasiveness over the conventional painful and time-consuming tools. However, there is still a significant challenge in powering these devices over an extended period, especially for applications that require continuous and long-term health monitoring. Herein, a new freestanding, wearable, multifunctional microneedle-based extended gate field effect transistor biosensor is fabricated for online detection of multiple biomarkers from the …

Chronic, non‐healing wounds pose significant challenges for public health, particularly in the context of diabetes, and carry significant economic consequences. This article introduces a new solution in the form of a wireless theranostic patch, developed to meet the critical need for real‐time monitoring and targeted treatments to facilitate optimal healing. The patch incorporates advanced materials that are both multifunctional and electro‐responsive, leveraging a sophisticated blend of smart hydrogels and wearable bioelectronics to support diabetic wound management with unparalleled efficacy. With electro‐responsive multifunctional polymer hydrogels at its core, the patch delivers a stretchable, antimicrobial, and moist environment for the wound, with added benefits such as conductivity and visibility. The materials also allow for continuous and autonomous monitoring of glucose and pH levels, providing precise …

The present invention provides a composite material and a sensing platform unit comprising a self-healing polymer matrix and at least two conductive nanomaterials embedded therein. The polymer matrix has a multi-layer structure comprising a first layer comprising a network of a first nanomaterial, which resistance changes in response to a mechanical damage inflicted on the polymer matrix; and a second layer comprising a network of a second nanomaterial, configured to generate heat under applied voltage. The network of the first nanomaterial and the network of the second nanomaterial are electrically connected to a mutual control circuit which is configured to apply voltage to the second nanomaterial upon a change in resistance of the first nanomaterial. The sensing platform unit further comprises a third layer comprising a network of a third nanomaterial configured to detect at least one of pressure, strain …

Volatilomics is a powerful tool capable of providing novel biomarkers for the diagnosis of gastric cancer. The main objective of this study was to characterize the volatilomic signatures of gastric juice in order to identify potential alterations induced by gastric cancer. Gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection, coupled with headspace solid phase microextraction as the pre-concentration technique, was used to identify volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by gastric juice samples collected from 78 gastric cancer patients and two cohorts of controls (80 and 96 subjects) from four different locations (Latvia, Ukraine, Brazil, and Colombia). 1440 distinct compounds were identified in samples obtained from patients and 1422 in samples provided by controls. However, only 6% of the VOCs exhibited an incidence higher than 20%. Amongst the volatiles emitted, 18 showed differences in their headspace …

In recent years, wearable technology has transcended its initial emphasis on fitness and lifestyle applications, expanding its horizons to encompass a critical role in healthcare and environmental monitoring. This remarkable evolution has been propelled by the advancement of wearable chemical sensors, a burgeoning field that has piqued the interest of both the scientific community and the general public. Wearable chemical sensors are distinct in their unparalleled ability to offer direct and precise insights into our health and surroundings. This trait is crucial in providing real-time insights into various personalised healthcare, environmental safety, and ubiquity of Internet of Things (IoT) that cannot be matched by other sensor types. For instance, these sensors can identify biomarkers in sweat or monitor air quality, yielding critical information that can lead to early disease detection or the identification of environmental risks.

The present invention provides methods of diagnosing cancer in a test subject, comprising exposing an array of chemically sensitive sensors comprising a material selected from the group consisting of conductive nanostructures coated with an organic coating, a conducting polymer and a conductive polymer composite, to a blood sample and a urine sample obtained from the test subject, and analyzing output signals of the chemically sensitive sensors upon exposure of the array to the blood sample and the urine sample. The array of the chemically sensitive sensors can be a part of a portable medical device. Further provided is a method of diagnosing cancer in a test subject, comprising measuring and analyzing levels of a set of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in a blood sample and a urine sample obtained from the test subject.

Hospitalized patients with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are highly susceptible to in-hospital mortality and cardiac complications such as atrial arrhythmias (AA). However, the utilization of biomarkers such as potassium, B-type natriuretic peptide, albumin, and others for diagnosis or the prediction of in-hospital mortality and cardiac complications has not been well established. The study aims to investigate whether biomarkers can be utilized to predict mortality and cardiac complications among hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Data were collected from 6,927 hospitalized COVID-19 patients from March 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021 at one quaternary (Henry Ford Health) and five community hospital registries (Trinity Health Systems). A multivariable logistic regression prediction model was derived using a random sample of 70% for derivation and 30% for validation. Serum values, demographic variables, and comorbidities were used as input predictors. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, and the secondary outcome was onset of AA. The associations between predictor variables and outcomes are presented as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Discrimination was assessed using area under ROC curve (AUC). Calibration was assessed using Brier score. The model predicted in-hospital mortality with an AUC of 90% [95% CI: 88%, 92%]. In addition, potassium showed promise as an independent prognostic biomarker that predicted both in-hospital mortality, with an AUC of 71.51% [95% Cl: 69.51%, 73.50%], and AA with AUC of 63.6% [95% Cl: 58.86%, 68.34%]. Within the test cohort, an increase of 1 mEq/L …

Micro/nanostructures can increase effective surface area and enhance the performance of wearable devices, such as the sensitivity of sensors and output of triboelectric nanogenerators. Empowering commercial fibers and fabrics with durable and robust micro/nanostructures has become a major research concern for sustainable wearables. Many technologies are developed to fabricate micron/nanostructures on fibers and textiles, such as breath figure method, electrospinning, and direct imprinting thermal drawing. However, most of these methods have their own limitations toward mass production and real‐life application, including poor solvent resistance, time assuming, requiring expensive equipment, and limited capacity for post‐adjustment of commercial textiles. Herein, a plasma‐enhanced breath figure (PEBF) technique to fabricate solvent‐tolerant microporous structure on existing fabrics with tailored pore …

Enhancing the durability and functionality of existing materials through sustainable pathways and appropriate structural design represents a time- and cost-effective strategy for the development of advanced wearable devices. Herein, a facile graphene oxide (GO) modification method via the hydroxyl-yne click reaction is present for the first time. By the click coupling between propiolate esters and hydroxyl groups on GO under mild conditions, various functional molecules are successfully grafted onto the GO. The modified GO is characterized by FTIR, XRD, TGA, XPS, and contact angle, proving significantly improved dispersibility in various solvents. Besides the high efficiency, high selectivity, and mild reaction conditions, this method is highly practical and accessible, avoiding the need for prefunctionalizations, metals, or toxic reagents. Subsequently, a rGO-PDMS sponge-based piezoresistive sensor developed by …

The aging population and the prevalence of infectious diseases have impacted the traditional medical order, significantly increasing the burden on healthcare and adversely affecting the socio‐economic system. Medical sensors based on artificial intelligence (AI) provide new ideas for modern medical data collection to monitor the health status of individuals and environmental changes. Meanwhile, with the aid of AI algorithms, the big data processing capabilities of sensor systems have been greatly improved, further realizing early predictions and timely diagnoses. In this paper, a brief overview is offered on the development status of AI‐enabled medical sensors for off‐body detection, near‐body monitoring, disease prediction, and clinical decision support system, and the ongoing challenges and future prospects to move from concept to implementation are discussed. In the foreseeable future, breakthroughs in the …

Gas sensors based on tin dioxide (SnO2) for the detection of ammonia (NH3) have become commercially available for environmental monitoring due to their reactive qualities when exposed to different gaseous pollutants. Nevertheless, their implementation in the medical field has been hindered by certain inherent drawbacks, such as needing to operate at high temperatures, lack of selectivity, unreliable operation under high-humidity conditions, and a lower detection limit. To counter these issues, this study created 2D nanosheets of SnO2 through an optimized solvothermal method. It was found that tuning the precursor solution's pH to either neutral or 14 led to aggregated or distributed, uniform-size nanosheets with a higher crystallinity, respectively. Remarkably, the SnO2 nanosheet sensor (SNS-14) displayed a much lower response to water molecules and specific reactivity to ammonia even when subjected to …

Hydrogel-enabled skin bioelectronics that can continuously monitor health for extended periods is crucial for early disease detection and treatment. However, it is challenging to engineer ultrathin gas-permeable hydrogel sensors that can self-adhere to the human skin for long-term daily use (>1 week). Here, we present a ~10-micrometer-thick polyurethane nanomesh–reinforced gas-permeable hydrogel sensor that can self-adhere to the human skin for continuous and high-quality electrophysiological monitoring for 8 days under daily life conditions. This research involves two key steps: (i) material design by gelatin-based thermal-dependent phase change hydrogels and (ii) robust thinness geometry achieved through nanomesh reinforcement. The resulting ultrathin hydrogels exhibit a thickness of ~10 micrometers with superior mechanical robustness, high skin adhesion, gas permeability, and anti-drying …

Guided bone regeneration (GBR) is a well‐established technique for preserving and enhancing alveolar ridge structures. Success in GBR relies on fulfilling the Primary wound closure, Angiogenesis, Space maintenance, and Stability (PASS) principles. Conventional methods, involving titanium meshes and sutures, have drawbacks, including the need for secondary removal and customization challenges. To address these issues, an innovative multifunctional GBR dressing (MGD) based on self‐healing elastomer (PUIDS) has been introduced. MGD provides sutureless wound closure, prevents food particle accumulation, and maintains a stable environment for bone growth. It offers biocompatibility, bactericidal properties, and effectiveness in an oral GBR model. In summary, MGD provides a reliable, stable osteogenic environment for GBR, aligning with PASS principles and promoting superior post‐surgery bone …

The present invention provides a vapor-permeable flexible sensing platform unit comprising: a first porous membrane, wherein said membrane is substantially flexible and hydrophobic; and a volatile organic compounds (VOCs) sensor disposed on said membrane, the VOCs sensor comprising an electrode array and a conducting polymer porous film being in electric contact with said electrode array, wherein the VOCs sensor is insensitive to lateral strain. Further provided are a method of preparation of said platform unit and a lift-off, float-on (LOFO) method for the preparation of protonically doped polyaniline (PANI) thin films.

The invention proposes an approach utilizing novel and artificially intelligent hybrid sensor arrays with multiplexed detection capabilities for disease-specific biomarkers from the exhaled breath of a subject. The technology provides a rapid and highly accurate diagnosis in various COVID-19 infection and transmission scenarios.

Skin-mountable electronics are considered to be the future of the next generation of portable electronics, due to their softness and seamless integration with human skin. However, impermeable materials limit device comfort and reliability for long-term, continuous usage. The recent emergence of permeable skin-mountable electronics has attracted tremendous attention in the soft electronics field. Herein, we provide a comprehensive and systematic review of permeable skin-mountable electronics. Typical porous materials and structures are first highlighted, followed by discussion of important device properties. Then, we review the latest representative applications of breathable skin-mountable electronics, such as bioelectrical sensors, temperature sensors, humidity and hydration sensors, strain and pressure sensors, and energy harvesting and storage devices. Finally, a conclusion and future directions for …