Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in the city of Daejeon southwest of Seoul have developed an electronic tattoo ink made of liquid metal and carbon nanotubes that functions as a bioelectrode. Connected to an electrocardiogram (ECG) device or other biosensor, it can send a reading of a patient’s heart rate and other vital signs such as glucose and lactate to a screen. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register The researchers eventually aim to be able to use no biosensors. Water sprays on the arm of an electronic tattoo (e-tattoo) for the wettability test at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in Daejeon, South Korea, July 26, 2022. REUTERS/Minwoo Park read more “In the future, what we hope to do is connect a wireless chip embedded with this ink so that we can communicate or send a signal between our bodies to an external device,” said project leader Steve Park. professor of materials science and engineering. Such screens could theoretically be located anywhere, even in patients’ homes. The ink is non-invasive and is made from particles based on gallium, a soft, silvery metal that is also used in semiconductors or thermometers. Platinum-decorated carbon nanotubes help transport electricity while providing durability. “When applied to the skin, even with rubbing, the tattoo does not come off, which is not possible with liquid metal alone,” Park said. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Reported by Minwoo Park, Daewoung Kim; edited by John Stonestreet Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
