Argentina. A Bioengineering student at the University of Entre Ríos developed a thermochromic sensor to detect the loss of the cold chain of biosynthetic insulin (injectable drug to regularize blood glucose in people with diabetes), when it is in the hands of the consumer.
Insulin should be stored between 4° and 8° when closed and up to 30° once when in patient use. There are several instruments to control the cold chain of this drug during transport and distribution, but there is no known device that indicates this once it is in use.
The sensor he created is based on a thermochromic compound, which changes color with temperature modification. The finding is that once the 30° is over, the change becomes irreversible. "I have been researching this project for more than two years and it had several changes from the beginning. Today, the solution I found is to 3D print a chip that indicates the temperature using a gelatin that combines two colors and warns the patient. So it's much cheaper and easier to produce," he says. The project was presented for the first time at a science fair at his high school in the town of San Nicolás, but it did not have much impact.
However, his idea won recognition in various national and international competitions such as I-SWEEEP (International Sustainable World Energy, Engineering, and Environment Project) and the Solutions for the Future contest organized by Samsung and Socialab. In that way, he secured funding to move forward with research and perfect the sensor technique. "My idea is to achieve the international patent and, for that, I need more funds. I will continue to enter competitions and will produce the prototype closest to the final product," says the student. Valentina entered at the beginning of the year the Naves contest organized by the IAE Business School for entrepreneurs and bets on achieving a new recognition to have her device ready.
Source: www.elentrerios.com
