Wednesday, August 17, 2011

New Tattoo - Not Just For Sailors Anymore

It seems the advancement in using tattoo-like interfaces to monitor health has just taken yet another major leap.
The device platform includes electronic components, medical diagnostics, communications, and human-machine interfacing on a patch so thin and durable it can be mounted to skin much like a temporary tattoo.
What's more, the team was able to demonstrate its invention across a wide range of components, including LEDs, transistors, wireless antennas, sensors, and conductive coils and solar cells for power.
"We threw everything in our bag of tricks onto that platform, and then added a few other new ideas on top of those to show that we could make it work," said engineering professor John A. Rogers in a news release. The research is described in detail in the journal Science.

The mobility of the technology is as impressive as its potential uses.  Instead of waiting at the doctor's office, you can just enter a site and be scanned.  Blood sugar, toxins and oxygen saturation can all be monitored easily.  It's a little creepy to me for reasons I can't quite put my finger on, but I can't deny the possibilities far outweigh the risks.  Once the technology is available to everyone, we will see the way checkups are conducted change forever.

No comments:

Related Posts with Thumbnails