Postdoc SmartWeave: A textile Sensor for the Monitoring of Sweat Metabolites

Imagine being able to enhance the quality of life of people with bipolar disorder. You can make it happen. Join our project Wearable sensors for monitoring of sweat metabolites.

Job description

Patients with chronic conditions regularly need to visit the hospital for check-up and the taking of a blood sample. This is not only burdensome for the patient but the lab analyses are time consuming and expensive. In this project we develop a smart armband which analyses sweat continuously and unobtrusively during everyday activities. This can be achieved by weaving the sensors into the material and using a small clip-on electronics unit. With that we can help patients with a bipolar disorder taking lithium as medication but it can also be used to monitor other metabolites like glucose or to detect dehydration.

As the post-doc you will work at the faculty of EEMCS in collaboration with a PhD student at the faculty of Industrial Design Engineering of TU Delft. You will be working on the sensing system in the armband. This will include the sensing yarn, a microfluidics system, electronics and communication. The main aim of this project is to detect lithium in sweat. However, other ions will be considered at a later stage of the project. You will furthermore integrate these yarns in a textile structure that takes care of the sweat absorption and transport and protects the sensors.

In the final year of the project, the sensor bands will undergo testing with patients in collaboration with the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC). You will work in close cooperation with a postdoc at the Bioelectronics section of the Electrical Engineering faculty at TU Delft.

Job requirements

• You hold a PhD degree in chemical engineering, electrical engineering, or another relevant field related to electrochemical sensors and human health monitoring.
• You have the social skills to deal with many stakeholders, from fellow academics to patients.
• You have experience with analysis of sensor data.
• You have an affinity for patient care and are able to communicate with patients.
• You have a good command of written and spoken English.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)

Delft University of Technology is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society.

Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science

The Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) brings together three scientific disciplines. Combined, they reinforce each other and are the driving force behind the technology we all use in our daily lives. At the same time, we are developing the chips and sensors of the future, whilst also setting the foundations for the software technologies to run on this new generation of equipment – which of course includes AI. Meanwhile we are pushing the limits of applied mathematics, for example mapping out disease processes using single cell data, and using mathematics to simulate gigantic ash plumes after a volcanic eruption. In other words: there is plenty of room at the faculty for ground-breaking research. We educate innovative engineers and have excellent labs and facilities that underline our strong international position.

Conditions of employment

• Duration of contract is 1 year with option to extend another 2 years (total three years).
• Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities.
• An excellent pension scheme via the ABP.
• The possibility to compile an individual employment package every year.
• Discount with health insurers on supplemental packages.
• Flexible working week.
• Every year, 232 leave hours (at 38 hours). You can also sell or buy additional leave hours via the individual choice budget.
• Plenty of opportunities for education, training and courses.
• Partially paid parental leave.
• Attention for working healthy and energetically with the vitality program.