Real-time mobile detection of drug use with wearable biosensors: a pilot study

Abstract

While reliable detection of illicit drug use is paramount to the field of addiction, current methods involving self-report and urine drug screens have substantial limitations that hinder their utility. Wearable biosensors may fill a void by providing valuable objective data regarding the timing and contexts of drug use. This is a preliminary observational study of four emergency department patients receiving parenteral opioids and one individual using cocaine in a natural environment. A portable biosensor was placed on the inner wrist of each subject, to continuously measure electrodermal activity (EDA), skin temperature, and acceleration. Data were continuously recorded for at least 5 min prior to drug administration, during administration, and for at least 30 min afterward. Overall trends in biophysiometric parameters were assessed. Injection of opioids and cocaine use were associated with rises in EDA. Cocaine injection was also associated with a decrease in skin temperature. Opioid tolerance appeared to be associated with a blunted physiologic response as measured by the biosensor. Laterality may be an important factor, as magnitude of response varied between dominant and nondominant wrists in a single patient with bilateral wrist measurements. Changes in EDA and skin temperature are temporally associated with intravenous administration of opioids and cocaine; the intensity of response, however, may vary depending on history and extent of prior use.

Fig. 1

Picture of subject wearing Q sensor

Fig. 2

EDA scale varies between tracings to emphasize the shape of the curve and is labeled on the upper right portion of the tracing. Each tracing consist of three panels: top panel: electrodermal activity in μS; middle panel: temperature in °C; and lower panel: Acceleration in unit g. Participant 1. Please note, time of day is shown on the top axis, and an event marker along the top of the screen image delineates the time of intravenous opioid administration (where applicable)

Fig. 3

Participant 2

Fig. 4

Participant 3

Fig. 5

Participant 4: left (nondominant) and right (dominant) wrist tracings

Fig. 6

Field participant (cocaine use)

Fig. 7

Example of EDA tracing of severe stress reaction