American scientists have invented a liquid ink that can be printed on a patient’s scalp in order to measure brainwaves.
On December 2, the technology was published in the journal Cell Biomaterials, it is a promising alternative to the cumbersome process for monitoring brainwaves and diagnosing neurological conditions.
“Our innovations in sensor design, biocompatible ink, and high-speed printing pave the way for future on-body manufacturing of electronic tattoo sensors, with broad applications both within and beyond clinical settings,” says Nanshu Lu, the paper’s co-corresponding author at the University of Texas at Austin.
She said that the traditional method is time-consuming and uncomfortable for patients to sit for hours. However, in the e-tattoo EEG test, researchers can design the electrode spots on the patient’s scalp using computer algorithms. After that, they use digital inkjet printers to spray ink onto the spots. It is a quick process with no manual requirements.
Therefore, the past tattoos were inked on the thin layer of the ink and only effective on hairless surfaces. Meanwhile, these e-tattoos are successful with hairy skin.
“Designing materials that are compatible with hairy skin has been a persistent challenge in e-tattoo technology,” Lu says.
According to the test performed by scientists, it was found that e-tattoos performed better at detecting brainwaves with minimal noise. They showed signal detection connectivity for up to 24 hours.
The team believed that the e-tattoos EEG method could include a completely wireless process in the future. “Our study can potentially revolutionize the way non-invasive brain-computer interface devices are designed,” says co-corresponding author José Millán of the University of Texas at Austin.
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