If you’ve ever had an EEG, you’ll remember all the preparation that was required to get you hooked up properly to the monitoring device. There was sticky gel and tape and those pesky electrodes. According to the journal “Science”, researchers have developed a patch which bends, wrinkles and stretches like skin. The patch would be applied to the body like a temporary tattoo and would contain the electronic components necessary for sensing, communications and relaying information from the body to a monitoring device.
In addition to the ease of applying these patches, another major benefit is that any testing could be conducted in a more natural and less stressful environment since results could be transmitted wirelessly to the monitoring equipment.
Not only could the patches contain the electronic components for medical monitoring, they could also be used with patients that have muscular or neurological disorders, such as ALS. The patch could facilitate communication with computers. In addition, the researchers have shown that when placed on the throat, the patch can detect muscle movement.
The patch is constructed in the shape of tiny wires called filamentary serpentine. This configuration allows them to be bent, twisted, scrunched and stretched while maintaining functionality and contact with the skin.
