from University of Texas-Austin
The idea of wearable patch to monitor
health functions is relatively new, but
making a complex, disposable device was
also expensive. Now, researchers at the
University of Texas Austin have invented
a method of manufacturing these
temporary tattoo-like devices, referred to
as epidermal electronics, in a repeatable
“cut and paste” method that cuts
manufacturing time from several days to
only twenty minutes, and may bring the
cost down to about a dollar. These
devices have the ability to pick up and
transmit the human body’s vital signals,
tracking heart rate, hydration level,
muscle movement, temperature and
brain activity and they are more sensitive
than many conventional test devices. It
may not be long before health care
providers will be able to attach these
new generation patches to the skin of
patients to get more information more
quickly.