Across the country, about 45 million Americans have at least one tattoo, but none have one quite like this newest development yet. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania have created a durable temporary electronic tattoo with the purpose of (one day) measuring a wearer’s blood sugar levels, heart rate, and other health conditions.
The function of these electronic tattoos is similar to that of wearables that are on people across of the country as of late. Smartwatches like the FitBit and Apple Watch can measure your heart rate, but users have to be sure to put them on before they leave to house in order to get those measurements.
Electronic tattoos have also been a buzzword in the past, but previous methods of applying them were slow and limited. A wearer would have to paint themselves with conductive ink or attach a thin conductive film before applying the tattoo. While these methods can work, for an electronic tattoo to become widespread, it needs to be easy to apply and to manufacture.
According to the study’s co-author Mahmoud Tavakoli, the researchers found that they could use the gallium indium alloy to form inkjet-printed patterns of silver nanoparticles at room temperature. Previously, they needed high temperatures and pressure to manufacture the tattoos, making the process incompatible with thin-film and heat sensitive substrates.
Similar to the temporary tattoos children often have, researchers were able to attach these electronic tattoos to a thin film and adhere them to skin by simply using a damp sponge. Unlike the decorative tattoos of childhood, these tattoos are very durable and do not rub off easily. With the simple process of application, electronic tattoos could potentially be used by anyone.
For the medical field, these electronic tattoos could replace traditional equipment like finger clips or armband heart monitors. They could also include chemical sensors to test blood sugar levels and alert the wearer when levels dip too low. While the possibilities are exciting, there will likely be a long period of testing before regulatory bodies approve electronic tattoos.
