'The patch may in future negate the need for wires, cables and electrodes'
By Pat Kelly. Scientists at the University of Illinois have developed a tiny, super-thin electronic skin patch that is capable of monitoring a patient’s vital signs and may in future negate the need for wires, cables and electrodes.
The skin patch is applied in a similar way to a temporary tattoo and is applied using a small amount of water. At less than 50 microns thick, it is thinner than a human hair but contains minuscule solar cells to power it, as well as all the sensors required to keep tabs on a patient’s vital signs.
In testing, the patch accurately monitored heart, brain and muscle tissue activity, despite having the flexibility of human skin and can be removed by simply peeling it off, the study authors said in the journal Science.
However there are other, more far-reaching potential applications. When the patch was attached to a person’s throat, it was found to be capable of interpreting simple spoken commands such as ‘left’, ‘right’, ‘up’ and ‘down’, and transmitting those commands to a computer game. The authors noted that this could have important applications for patients with neurological disorders or problems with muscular co-ordination.
“Our goal was to develop an electronic technology that could integrate with the skin in a way that is invisible,” said Prof John Rogers of the University of Illinois. “It’s a technology that blurs the distinction between electronics and biology.”
pat.kelly@imt.ie
About Pat Kelly
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