Scientist reveals pioneering bio patch that protects against heat related deaths

A scientist in the US revealed the pioneering device which works alongside artificial intelligence to monitor the body's vital signs and alert in case of danger.

A scientist in Atlanta has created a pioneering equipment aimed at protecting outdoor workers and reducing heat related deaths.

Roxanna Chicas, PhD, a nurse at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia is leading groundbreaking effort to protect farmers, construction workers and others from the rising threat of heat-related illnesses.

Chicas draws from her personal experience as a Salvadoran immigrant whose family worked in construction and agriculture.

“Farm workers are 35 times more likely to have a heat-related death followed by construction workers who are 13 times. And so these are the two sectors that have the highest heat-related mortality," Chicas told Reuters.

In collaboration with Georgia Tech, Chicas and researchers have developed a small wearable biopatch device that attaches to a worker’s chest and monitors vital signs like skin temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate.

The project was developed with input from farmworker communities, who helped shape the research. So far, the biopatch has been tested on 168 farmworkers, who have responded positively to the idea of using technology to protect their health on the job.

"Eventually what our computer science team is going to do is use that data to train AI so that we are able to recognize someone who is heading into the danger zone before they collapse from heat stress. And send them an alert in real time to let them know it's time to take a break, to hydrate, to cool down," Chicas said.

According to Chicas, the device could be available in the market within a year or two with affordability being prioritized to ensure it is accessible to workers who need it most.

Data from the U.S Environmental Protection Agency shows that approximately two thousand people die each year in the United States from heat related illnesses including heatstroke.

This makes heat the leading cause of weather-related fatalities in the country.

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