Electronics for detection of a condition of tissue

Abstract

Apparatus are provided for monitoring a condition of a tissue based on a measurement of an electrical property of the tissue. In an example, the electrical property of the tissue is performed using an apparatus disposed above the tissue, where the apparatus includes at least two conductive structures, each having a non-linear configuration, where the at least two conductive structures are disposed substantially parallel to each other. In another example, the electrical property of the tissue is performed using an apparatus disposed above the tissue, where the apparatus includes at least one inductor structure.

1 - 66 . (canceled) 
     
     
         67 . An apparatus for monitoring a condition of a tissue, the apparatus comprising:
 a substrate disposed above the tissue, wherein the substrate is formed from a material that changes a state with a change in the condition of the tissue; and   at least one first inductor structure disposed above the substrate, wherein at least one of an electrical property and a physical property of the at least one first inductor structure changes with a change in the condition of the substrate,   and wherein a measure of the electrical property or the physical property of the at least one first inductor structure provides an indication of the condition of the tissue.   
     
     
         68 . The apparatus of  claim 67 , wherein the condition of the tissue is a hydration state of the tissue, a volume of sweat lost, a mechanical property of the tissue, a disease state of the tissue, or a level of SPF protection of the tissue. 
     
     
         69 . The apparatus of  claim 67 , wherein the first inductor structure is a spiral coil structure, a cylindrical coil structure, or a toroidal structure. 
     
     
         70 . The apparatus of  claim 67 , further comprising a reader, wherein the reader comprises at least one second inductor structure, wherein a measure of a change in an electrical property of the at least one second inductor structure brought in proximity to the at least one first inductor structure provides the measure of the electrical property of the at least one first inductor structure. 
     
     
         71 . The apparatus of  claim 67 , wherein the second inductor structure is the same configuration as the first inductor structure. 
     
     
         72 . The apparatus of  claim 67 , wherein the first inductor structure and the second inductor structure are a spiral coil structure, a cylindrical coil structure, or a toroidal structure. 
     
     
         73 . The apparatus of  claim 67 , wherein the electrical property is a magnetic flux density from the at least one first inductor structure. 
     
     
         74 . The apparatus of  claim 67 , further comprising an encapsulation layer disposed over at least a portion of the at least one first inductor structure. 
     
     
         75 . The apparatus of  claim 74 , wherein the encapsulation layer is a polymer. 
     
     
         76 . The apparatus of  claim 75 , wherein the portions of the polymer comprise an adhesive, and wherein the adhesive attaches the portions of the polymer to the tissue. 
     
     
         77 . The apparatus of  claim 67 , further comprising a separator layer disposed between the at least one inductor structure and the substrate, wherein the separator layer is a non-conductive material. 
     
     
         78 . The apparatus of  claim 77 , wherein the separator layer is formed from a polymer. 
     
     
         79 . The apparatus of  claim 67 , further comprising an ultrasound apparatus, and wherein the ultrasound apparatus provides a measure of an electrical property of the tissue. 
     
     
         80 . The apparatus of  claim 79 , wherein the ultrasound an apparatus comprises:
 an ultrasound generator disposed proximate to a first portion of the tissue of interest, wherein the ultrasound generator comprises a piezoelectric crystal, wherein the ultrasound generator directs ultrasound waves at a portion of the tissue; and   an ultrasound receiver disposed proximate to a second portion of the tissue of interest that is different from the first portion,   wherein the ultrasound receiver provides a measure of ultrasound waves arriving at the second portion of the tissue, and   wherein the measure of ultrasound waves arriving at the second portion of the tissue provides an indication of the condition of the tissue.   
     
     
         81 . A system for monitoring a condition of a tissue, comprising:
 at least one apparatus of  claim 67 ; and   at least one other component,   wherein the at least one other component is at least one of a battery, a transmitter, a transceiver, a memory, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip, a processing unit, an analog sensing block, a UVA sensor, a UVB sensor, and a temperature sensor.   
     
     
         82 . A method for monitoring a condition of a tissue, the method comprising:
 receiving data indicative of an electrical measurement of the tissue, wherein the electrical measurement is performed using at least one apparatus of  67 ; and   analyzing the data using at least one processor unit, wherein the analysis provides an indication of the condition of the tissue.   
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 82 , wherein the analyzing the data comprises applying an effective circuit model to the data, and wherein a value of a parameter of the model provides the indication of the condition of the tissue. 
     
     
         84 . The method of  claim 82 , wherein the analyzing the data comprises comparing the data to a calibration standard, and wherein the comparing provides the indication of the condition of the tissue. 
     
     
         85 . The method of  claim 84 , wherein the calibration standard comprises a correlation between values of electrical measurement and the indication of the condition of the tissue.