Hyderabad: Researchers at BITS Pilani Hyderabad have developed a portable, internet-enabled device that can assess kidney health within minutes by simultaneously detecting three key biomarkers, uric acid, urea and creatinine, from a small blood serum sample. The innovation, developed by the institute’s MEMS, Microfluidics and Nanoelectronics (MMNE) Lab, has been published in peer-reviewed scientific journal Electrochimica Acta.
Designed to make kidney screening faster and more accessible, the device delivers real-time results on a smartphone, tablet or computer, eliminating the need for expensive laboratory equipment and specialised personnel. “Unlike conventional tests that require samples to be analysed in laboratories, our platform provides instant results through an IoT-enabled system,” said Sanket Goel, one of the researchers.
Kidney diseases often progress silently, with symptoms appearing only after significant damage has occurred. Regular monitoring of uric acid, urea and creatinine is vital for early diagnosis and timely treatment.
Lead researcher Parvathy Nair said the device uses a compact sensing chip with three dedicated electrodes, each designed to detect one biomarker. “A small blood serum sample is placed on the chip, which processes the electrochemical signals and wirelessly transmits the data. The accompanying software instantly converts these signals into biomarker levels and displays the results,” she explained.
A major advantage of the platform is its ability to measure all three biomarkers simultaneously using a single device, offering a more comprehensive assessment of kidney function than many existing portable systems that test only one marker.
Researcher Swayam Shree said the project integrates “materials engineering, biosensing, electronics and digital health technologies into a single platform,” adding that the ability to monitor multiple kidney biomarkers through a portable device “could significantly improve early diagnosis and long-term disease management.”
Another researcher, RN Ponnalagu, said the team’s goal was to create “a practical diagnostic platform that bridges laboratory-grade sensing with real-world healthcare deployment,” paving the way for decentralised kidney health monitoring through multiplexed biosensors and IoT connectivity.
The researchers said the platform’s dual-interface architecture enables sensor optimisation during development while remaining simple for end users. “Our goal was to make advanced renal biomarker testing available beyond traditional laboratories,” Parvathy said.
The technology has potential applications in early kidney disease screening, home-based healthcare, remote patient monitoring, telemedicine and improving access to diagnostics in rural and resource-limited areas.
