3D Printed Power Source for Point‐of‐Care Diagnostics

Abstract

Point‐of‐care (POC) devices require more advanced detection techniques than those currently available to achieve enhanced quantification and sensitivity. Incorporating a micro power supply could be a viable solution to enable the implementation of these techniques. In recent years, paper‐based microfluidic galvanic cells (μGCs) have emerged as promising disposable power sources; however, the fabrication process remains labor intensive. This study demonstrates the potential of three‐dimensional printing as a novel fabrication method for μGCs. The autonomous μGCs are fabricated using a powder‐based 3DPed method, resulting in a porous body in which capillary forces enable the coflow of redox‐active solutions. As a proof of concept, a handheld glucometer is powered by coupling four μGCs in series.