Electronic Tattoos
Tattoos just got a whole lot cooler. A scientific research team has developed wearable electronics that can be applied to skin…
Tattoos just got a whole lot cooler. A scientific research team has developed wearable electronics that can be applied to skin like temporary tattoos. The system uses a circuit of nano-ribbons on a thin membrane-like patch which is water soluble and therefore can be mounted onto skin just like a temporary tattoo. The patches are unobtrusive, and flexible enough to twist and wrinkle as human skin does without breaking. The video above shows how it works. The electronic device has been tested and researchers from University of Illinois and NorthWestern University who have led this project believe it can push forward developments in the world of medicine diagnostics, communications, surveillance and even gaming. It could potentially replace bulky devices that are currently used to monitor and record electrical activity in the brain and heart. The ease of application and near-invisible presence would make the experience more comfortable for patients. When applied to the throat, it detects changes in vocal tones, and this can be used to wirelessly communicate with electrical controls. So a video game could respond to a user saying ‘up, down, left, right’. The implications of the development of these wearable electronics are really exciting. It is interesting to see the merging of new technology and biology, and we look forward to seeing more concepts where cyber and physical worlds can communicate and integrate in a more natural way.
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