Biobatteries combined with enzyme biofuel cells (EBFCs) display significant promise for use in powering, actuating, and other applications in wearable/implantable medical devices. However, biobatteries are presently hindered by their low output voltages, power/current densities, and poor operational stability, thus preventing them from widespread adoption and use in wearable devices/biosensors. To address the above issue(s), we report a novel digital circuit, specifically designed to optimize and harness the power of the biobattery setup and the BioCapacitor principle. Through this, we are able to successfully power an OCP lactate sensor and transmit its measured data via Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) to an external receiver. This accomplishment was realized through advancements and optimization in the preparation of a biobattery with novel chemistry for the anode and cathode electrodes. The anodic engineered enzyme was immobilized onto a carbon paper electrode and used to successfully power a novel digital circuit and low-potential potentiostat (LPP) which enabled downstream OCP lactate measurement. The novel digital circuit includes a charge pump circuit and capacitor which represents a new and improved version of the BioCapacitor. In conjunction with the biobattery, the novel digital circuit is able to increase the output voltage, enabling the biobattery setup to meet the LPP power requirements and provide power for the OCP lactate sensor. Figure 1 shows the overall scheme of this setup. When connected, the biobattery will be used to charge a capacitor which is then discharged to provide power for the novel digital circuit. The novel digital circuit’s charge pump increases the output voltage to turn on and maintain the LPP and enable lactate measurement. The measurement data was successfully transmitted to an external receiver using the BTLE technology. This novel digital circuit has been successfully operated by the biobattery and has the potential to support dual and multi-modal sensing (OCP, EIS, etc.) in an energy independent manner that is ideal for wearable applications.

Development of novel digital circuit for biobattery based operation of a wearable open circuit potential (OCP)-based lactate sensor

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ACS Fall 2022

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