Dynamic packaging for a wearable bionsensor
The invention is a dynamic packaging system for wearable biosensors including components for securing the biosensor in place, for assisting insertion of the biosensors into the skin of a user in a fashion which guides the user to an appropriate amount of force, for sensing environmental conditions, for communicating with the biosensor and another external device running a mobile app. A receptacle holding the biosensor is the location for various electrical components enabling these functions. In separate embodiments, a cap or a peelable film is provided for a tight seal to preserve sterility inside the packaging system prior to insertion of the biosensor.
1 . A packaging system for a wearable biosensor comprising a receptacle comprising a bottom, a body and a main compartment opening upwardly and defined by at least one wall and the bottom and configured to hold a wearable biosensor in a secure position on skin of a user, the at least one wall comprising an inner surface, the receptacle further comprising a raised perimeter comprising a top with a force touch sensor comprising at least one capacitance touch, skin conductance or resistance sensor, a feedback indicator comprising a vibration mechanism configured to assist with insertion of the wearable biosensor into the skin and to provide feedback to the user during the insertion and a peelable film sealed to the top of the receptacle, and wherein the body of the receptacle comprises electrical components of a battery, a microcontroller, and wherein the electrical components are connected electrically, so that the user of the receptacle, after opening the peelable film, can use the receptacle for insertion of the wearable biosensor into the user's skin and receive feedback on the insertion from the force touch sensor.
2 . The device of claim 1 wherein the force touch sensor is selected from the group consisting of pressure, strain gauge, piezoresistive, resonant, electromagnetic, and diaphragm based MEMS sensors operating individually or in combination with each other.
3 . The device of claim 2 wherein the force touch sensor is configured to transduce an applied force into an electrical parameter selected from the group consisting of resistance, current, capacitance, inductance, frequency or phase shift, voltage, optical or thermal changes and magnetic field variations.
4 . The packaging system as in claim 1 further comprising a magnet positioned inside the main compartment and configured to hold the wearable biosensor in the secure position.
5 . The packaging system as in claim 1 wherein the receptacle further comprises at least one antenna configured to support communication protocols to the wearable biosensor and to an external device selected from the group consisting of Bluetooth low energy, NFC or 5G, and wherein the external device is configured to run a mobile app also communicating with the wearable biosensor.
6 . The packaging system as in claim 1 wherein the receptacle further comprises a charging coil configured to receive and send power from an external power source, recharge the battery in the receptacle, and recharge a battery in the biosensor.
7 . The device of claim 3 wherein the feedback indicator comprises a physical or virtual device selected from the group consisting of an audio speaker including a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) speaker, a vibration mechanism, and a light-emitting diode (LED) on the wearable device and a notification through Bluetooth or similar signals to a mobile device containing an app.
8 . The device of claim 1 wherein the vibration mechanism is selected from the group consisting of an eccentric rotating mass actuator (ERM), a linear resonant actuator (LRA), a piezoelectric actuator, electroactive polymers (EAPs), microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), a tactile haptic-based oscillation/resonance actuator and a voice coil actuator.
9 . The device of claim 1 wherein a driving signal of the vibration mechanism is selected from the group consisting of amplitude, frequency and on/off keying.
10 . The device of claim 1 wherein the feedback indicator is configured to provide a notification selected from the group of a sound, a light, a vibration or a message delivered to the app on the mobile device.
11 . The packaging system in claim 1 wherein the body of the receptacle further comprises a device configured to push the wearable biosensor into the skin and the device is selected from the group consisting of a force actuator, a spring, a pneumatic pump and a solenoid coil.
12 . The packaging system as in claim 1 wherein the microcontroller is equipped with safety and control enhancement modes which are selected from the group consisting of adaptive control algorithms, fail safe lock and retraction, and user control modes.
13 . The packaging system as in claim 12 wherein the adaptive control algorithms are selected from the group consisting of proportional-integrative-derivative (PID) control and skin impedance detection.
14 . The packaging system as in claim 12 wherein the failsafe lock and retraction mode is selected from the group consisting of mechanical locking and sensor error protocol.
15 . The packaging system as in claim 12 wherein the user control mode is selected from the group consisting of manual override and gentle versus fast mode.
16 . The packaging system as in claim 1 further comprising holders positioned on the inner surface of the at least one wall configured to fix the wearable biosensor in the secure position.
17 . The packaging system as in claim 16 wherein the holders are flexible and configured to absorb force.
18 . The packaging system as in claim 16 further comprising at least one additional of the holders on the bottom of the main compartment.
19 . The packaging system as in claim 1 further comprising at least one humidity sensor.
20 . The packaging system as in claim 1 further comprising at least one temperature sensor.