Revolutionary technology replaces EEGs with tattoos serving as brain sensors
Credit:X:@ultraviolet
A revolutionary new bio-technology interface has just emerged in Texas which uses tattoos as brain sensors.
The concept seems almost impossible to believe but it is actually a very real technology.
The engineers behind this ground breaking innovation have said that for nearly 100 years, the electroencephalogram (EEG) has always been used for monitoring brain activity, but it has some drawbacks – it is difficult to use with long or dense hair and has a limited efficiency of around 6 hours. By comparison, the tattoos involve a spray-on biocompatible gel, which is composed of conductive polymer filled with hundreds of tiny sensors, which are capable of reading brain activity like the original EEGs. They are superior to the original methods, as they can pass through hair and promise 24 hour efficiency – a landslide difference from EEG technology.
New tattoo brain monitoring technology ‘paves the way for future’
Nanshu Lu, one of the lead researchers at the University of Texas at Austin who designed the technology said: “Our innovations in sensor design, biocompatible ink, and high-speed printing pave the way for future on-body manufacturing of electronic tattoo sensors.” He added: “It has broad applications both within and beyond clinical settings.”
To apply the tattoos, the process is actually rather straight-forward according to these engineers. A computer maps out where the EEG-tattoo points should be applied, and this is followed by a specialized inkjet printer, which applies quick-drying ink which dries into the tattoo. This process is painless and doesn’t create any discomfort for the patient. Equally, it is not particularly time-consuming. With older EEG technology, each individual EEG had to be connected with wires to a cumbersome machine, which was complex and tiresome.
In practice, set alongside the traditional EEG, the EEG-tattoo was able to maintain stronger signals for much longer, as the gel didn’t dry out or stop working as with older methods. The EEG-tattoo spray had not lost any signal 24 hours after the first application. This cutting-edge technology doesn’t end there. Tweaking the ink mixture, researchers discovered that they could also ‘spray on’ the wires, which transmitted data effectively to a small data collection device.
Researchers able to ‘spray on’ wires for transmitting brain data
Taking their project further, and with a little tweak to the ink mixture, the researchers were also able to spray on the ‘wires’ which were able to transmit data effectively to a small collection device.
Commenting on the new technology, Lu said: “E-tattoos represent a new frontier in wearable technology. This is just the beginning of what we can achieve.” This also makes reference to the fact that athletes are already using similar technology, attached to their upper bodies to monitor athletic performance.
Another co-author of the revolutionary study, José Millán said: “By printing sensors directly onto the scalp, e-tattoos could eliminate the need for headsets altogether, making these devices more accessible and easier to use.”
In a groundbreaking leap for neuroscience and bio-technology, these innovative tattoo sensors could redefine how we monitor brain activity. Offering unprecedented efficiency and practicality, they may soon render traditional EEGs a relic of the past, paving the way for more accessible and advanced neurological insights.