Paintable electrodes could power creative and colorful wearable sensors
a day ago
- Penn State engineers created conductive ink that can be painted onto skin as customizable, temporary tattoos to power sensors for early heart attack detection, prosthetic control, and brain wave monitoring.
- The ink, which can be pigmented in any color, bonds well with skin, offering higher sensitivity, durability, and accuracy compared to traditional wearable sensors, and is washable and re-applicable.
- Traditional rigid or hydrogel-based electrodes often have issues with adhesion, dehydration, and air gaps, reducing sensing accuracy, especially on hairy or sweaty skin.
- The new ink dries within 10 minutes (faster with a hair dryer), behaves like face paint, and allows personalization of designs, enabling fully personalized wearable healthcare technology.