System for monitoring body chemistry

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring body chemistry of a user, the system comprising: a housing supporting: a microsensor comprising a first and second working electrode, a reference electrode, and a counter electrode, and configured to access interstitial fluid of the user, and an electronics subsystem comprising a signal conditioning module that receives a signal stream, from the microsensor, wherein the electronics subsystem is configured to detect an impedance signal derived from two of the first working electrode, the second working electrode, the reference electrode, and the counter electrode; and a processing subsystem comprising: a first module configured to generate an analysis indicative of an analyte parameter of the user and derived from the signal stream and the impedance signal, and a second module configured to transmit information derived from the analysis to the user, thereby facilitating monitoring of body chemistry of the user.

1 . A method for coupling a system for monitoring body chemistry to a user, the method comprising:
 retaining a second housing portion of the system within an opening of a first housing portion of the system, the first housing portion supporting a microsensor including a microneedle array operable as an electrode set, and the second housing portion supporting an electronics subsystem configured to receive a signal stream from the microsensor;   reversibly interfacing the second housing portion with a first portion of an applicator operable in a loading configuration;   positioning the first housing portion, with the applicator, at a body region of the user;   upon transitioning the applicator from the loading configuration to a released configuration, accelerating the second housing portion, with the electronics subsystem and the microsensor of the first housing portion, toward skin of the user, thereby delivering sensing regions of the microsensor into interstitial fluid of the user, and electronically coupling the electronics subsystem of the second housing portion with the microsensor of the first housing portion.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein accelerating the second housing portion toward skin of the user comprises, in response to a user releasing a trigger of the applicator, translating a plunger, coupled to the trigger, to produce the released configuration of the applicator. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein translating the plunger simultaneously accelerates the second housing portion and the electronics subsystem toward skin of the user, with controlled speed, along a first axis perpendicular to the skin of the user, thereby causing direct transmission of a force along the first axis from the second housing portion to the first housing portion and electronically coupling the electronics subsystem of the second housing portion with the microsensor of the first housing portion. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein causing direct transmission of the force along the first axis further comprises: a) causing the first housing portion to move along the first axis to deliver the microneedle array of the microsensor into the interstitial fluid of the user and b) coupling the first housing portion and the second housing portion to the user. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the first housing portion comprises an adhesive substrate that, during operation of the system, faces the skin of the user, and wherein coupling the first housing portion and the second housing portion to the user comprises coupling the adhesive substrate of the first housing portion to the user. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further including releasing the second housing portion from the applicator upon coupling of the first housing portion and the second housing portion to the user. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , further including twisting a rotatable component of the applicator, thereby transitioning the plunger to produce the loading configuration of the applicator. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, with the applicator, controlling at least one of skin stretching and behavior at the body region of the user, thereby facilitating acceleration of the array of microneedles into skin of the user. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further including:
 generating an impedance signal from two of: a first working electrode, a second working electrode, a reference electrode, and a counter electrode of the electrode set;   at a processing system in communication with the electronics subsystem, receiving the signal stream and the impedance signal;   at the processing system, generating an analysis indicative of an analyte parameter of the user and derived from the signal stream and the impedance signal;   detecting proper application of the microsensor based upon the impedance signal; and   transmitting information derived from the analysis to an electronic device associated with the user, thereby facilitating monitoring of body chemistry of the user.   
     
     
         10 . A system for monitoring body chemistry of a user, the system comprising:
 a housing comprising a first housing portion coupleable to the user and including an opening, and a second housing portion insertable into the opening of the first housing portion in a first configuration,
 the first housing portion supporting: a microsensor comprising a microneedle array configured to access interstitial fluid of the user upon coupling of the housing to the user in the first configuration of the housing, and 
 the second housing portion supporting: an electronics subsystem and a set of contacts operable to interface the electronics subsystem with the microsensor of the first housing portion; 
   an applicator operable to interface with the second housing portion in a loading configuration, and operable to transition from the loading configuration to a released configuration that releases and accelerates the second housing portion, with the electronics subsystem of the first housing portion, towards skin of the user, thereby: causing the microsensor to penetrate skin of the user and sensing regions of the microsensor to access interstitial fluid of the user, coupling the set of contacts of the second housing portion with the microsensor of the first housing portion, and coupling the first and second housing portions to the user.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first housing portion comprises an adhesive substrate that, during operation of the system, faces the skin of the user. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the applicator is operable to position and couple the first housing portion to the user by way of the adhesive substrate and simultaneously accelerate the microneedle array into skin of the user in the released configuration. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the applicator includes a plunger that couples to the second housing portion in the loading configuration, and wherein, in the loading configuration, a spring coupled to the plunger is in a compressed state and retained in position with a locking mechanism. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the applicator comprises a ram-and-catch configuration, wherein twisting of a rotatable component applicator a transitions the plunger to a spring-loaded configuration. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein, upon insertion of the microneedle array into skin of the user, with coupling of the first housing portion and the second housing portion to the user, the applicator is operable to release the second housing portion. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the applicator comprises a region operable to laterally stretch skin of the user in cooperation with insertion of the microneedle array into skin of the user. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the microneedle array comprises a density of less than 100 microneedles per cm 2 , thereby facilitating insertion of the microneedle array into skin of the user by the applicator. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first housing portion comprises a first disposable portion that supports the microsensor, and wherein the second housing portion comprises a second reusable portion that supports the electronics subsystem. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first housing portion includes a microsensor interface substrate comprising a set of concentric ring contacts configured to interface electronics of the second housing portion with filaments of the microsensor, in any rotated configuration associated with insertion of the second housing portion into the opening of the first housing portion. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the second housing portion comprises an array of contacts coupled to the electronics subsystem, and wherein the applicator is operable to accelerate the second housing portion with the electronics subsystem towards the microsensor of the first housing portion, thereby producing electrical contact between the array of contacts of the second housing portion with the set of concentric ring contacts of the first housing portion.