Temporary Tattoos Monitor Sweat, Warn of Dehydration

Dec-05-12 Soon, temporary tattoos may do more than let kids decorate their skin for a day—they may also help diagnose metabolic disorders or warn of dehydration.

The tattoo-based solid-contact ion-selective electrode (ISE) was developed by teams from the University of California San Diego and University of Toronto using a standard screen printer and commercially available tattoo transfer paper. The tattoos feature layers of silver, carbon fiber-modified carbon and insulator inks, followed by electropolymerization of aniline to complete the sensing surface. In tests, the tattoos stayed in place even on extremely sweaty skin, and different sensing materials could be incorporated to allow the tattoos to detect other components of sweat.

Applications for the tattoo include the cosmetics industry, helping to diagnose diseases such as Addison’s disease or signaling if an athlete has become dehydrated or fatigued during training.

More Info about this Invention:

[MEDGADGET.COM]
[UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO]

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