http://m.smh.com.au/technology/sci-...igns-in-need-of-attention-20110812-1ipey.html
THE days of connecting patients to medical monitoring machines with bulky electrodes and intrusive wires may soon be over thanks to an ultra-thin electronic device that can be applied to skin like a temporary tattoo.
The stick-on device can measure a person's heart beat, brain waves and muscle activity and, in future, could also be used for
wound healing and muscle rehabilitation.
An engineer and co-inventor of the device, John Rogers, said the aim was to develop an electronic technology that could integrate with the skin and was almost unnoticeable to the user.
The device can power a range of electronic components, including miniature sensors, such as EEG and EMG monitors that measure brain waves and muscle activity, and LED indicator lights and semi-conductors.
The "spider's web" of micro-electronics is then embedded into a transparent film that can be laminated on the skin with water. The patch was thin and compliant enough to conform to the surface of the skin without requiring an adhesive, Dr Rogers said.
THE days of connecting patients to medical monitoring machines with bulky electrodes and intrusive wires may soon be over thanks to an ultra-thin electronic device that can be applied to skin like a temporary tattoo.
The stick-on device can measure a person's heart beat, brain waves and muscle activity and, in future, could also be used for
wound healing and muscle rehabilitation.
An engineer and co-inventor of the device, John Rogers, said the aim was to develop an electronic technology that could integrate with the skin and was almost unnoticeable to the user.
The device can power a range of electronic components, including miniature sensors, such as EEG and EMG monitors that measure brain waves and muscle activity, and LED indicator lights and semi-conductors.
The "spider's web" of micro-electronics is then embedded into a transparent film that can be laminated on the skin with water. The patch was thin and compliant enough to conform to the surface of the skin without requiring an adhesive, Dr Rogers said.
