In the past ten years or so, tattoos have grown in popularity, and in South Korea, they may soon serve as the newest health monitoring tool. The newest medical technology will employ tattoos to implant a gadget within people’s bodies that can monitor their vital signs and even send notifications in the event of potential health issues.
Scientists from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technique (KAIST) in Daejeon created the technology. Electronic tattoos comprised of ‘liquid metal and carbon nanotubes’ that can be attached to biosensors are used in the process.
According to research leader and materials science professor Steve Park, ‘in the future, what we plan to do is attach a wireless chip integrated with this ink, so that we may communicate or can send signal back and forth between our body and an external device.’
The ink will function as a link between the electrocardiogram (ECG) machine or some other type of biosensor that continuously monitors a person’s health.
The technology will also allow the readings to be viewed on portable monitors that can be placed anywhere, and the device will automatically send alerts in the event of a medical emergency.
‘When it is applied to the skin, even with rubbing the tattoo doesn’t come off, which is not possible with just liquid metal,’ Park explained when asked about how the technology will work.
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