Measuring Sweat Without Sweating: A Game-Changing Innovation

Monitoring physical performance and health is vital not only for athletes but also in the context of medical care. Measuring lactate levels in sweat can offer, for example, critical insights into recovery and cardiovascular conditions. Traditionally, this has required invasive blood samples or sufficient sweat. Now, thanks to a cutting-edge project by IDRO and DXcrete, that’s about to change.

Why Lactate Matters

Lactate isn’t just a byproduct of intense activity—it’s a powerful, non-invasive biomarker. Elevated lactate can signal fatigue, reduced endurance, and broader metabolic stress. Yet conventional detection still relies on blood sampling, limiting real-time and continuous monitoring.

The Innovation: Sensory Meets Electrowetting

IDRO already offers a wearable sensor that tracks lactate levels in sweat and displays contiuous lactate data in real-time via a mobile app. It is currently used by elite athletes, but the system requires sufficient sweat, which is challenging during warming-up or recovery.

With DXcrete’s electrowetting-on-dielectrics (EWOD) technology actively transporting tiny sweat droplets from the skin to the sensor—without requiring more sweat, artificial stimulation, or waiting. As DXcrete CEO Timon Grob explains: “Our EWOD technology enables continuous biomarker monitoring without excessive sweating.”

Now, through a CrossRoads Flanders-Netherlands collaboration, IDRO’s Continuous Lactate Monitoring (CLM) system and DXcrete’s EWOD will be merged into one solution: real-time lactate data, even when users barely sweat. The system will be tested among athletes, trainers, and medical professionals.

Bigger Impact: From Sports to Healthcare

The goal? A compact, user-friendly wearable offering athletes continuous insights to optimise performance and prevent injuries. But the potential extends far beyond sports—into preventive healthcare, chronic condition management, and remote monitoring. Because the method is non-invasive and waste-reducing, it also supports more sustainable healthcare.

Funding and Context

The project receives €249,941 in ERDF support, linking IDRO (Flanders) and DXcrete (Netherlands) with backing from Antwerp and North Brabant regions. It is part of the CrossRoads Vlaanderen-Nederland programme (2023–2029), which promotes cross-border innovation in health, sustainability, and Industry 4.0.

Why This Matters—and What’s Next

This innovation is bold, human-centred, and full of promise. By enabling us to measure what matters—without breaking a sweat—it points toward a future where health data is more immediate, actionable, and inclusive.

Interested in how this could integrate with wearable tech, sports science, or telemedicine? Curious about collaborating or piloting the IDRO device? Contact the team.