A new University of Arizona study, published in Nature Communications, describes a longer-lasting, 3D-printed, adhesive-free wearable capable of providing a more comprehensive picture of a user’s physiological state.

The device, which measures water vapor and skin emissions of gases, continuously tracks and logs physiological data associated with dehydration, metabolic shifts and stress levels.

“Wearable health monitoring traditionally depends on sensors that directly attach to the skin, but the skin itself constantly renews,” said Philipp Gutruf, an associate professor of biomedical engineering and member of the BIO5 Institute at the U of A who co-authored the study with lead author David Clausen, a doctoral student and researcher in the Gutruf Lab.