MC10, a technology company out of Cambridge, Massachusetts has developed a new technology that allows for digital circuits to be embedded with a stretchy, bendable, “second skin” like material and worn on the skin. BioStamp Electronic Skin, goes on top of the persons skin in such a way as to move easily with a person’s normal range of movement and day-to-day activities. The tiny little computing system can remain on the skin for up to 2 weeks before it is naturally removed by the skins exfoliation process.
The electronic skin looks similar to a temporary tattoo or nicotine patch worn on a person’s arm or shoulder, but instead of it https://carbomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/fossil-1.jpgistering nutritional supplements or medication like a nicotine patch, it is instead a flexible computing prototype that according to it’s creators can “sense, measure, analyze and communicate information” (MC10).
MC10’s company website states, “… Our devices incorporate silicon devices thinned to a fraction of the width of a human hair. These chips, combined with stretchable metallic interconnects, are further combined with elastic rubber-like polymers to form complete powered systems that sense, measure, analyze and communicate information.”
According to Scientific Computing who wrote about MC10’s new technology, the thin electronic mesh stretches with the skin and can monitor data from the brain, muscles, heart, temperature, movement, hydration and strain.
The new technology and concept has a plethora of avenues in which it could provide high value. One such way, would be in the development of new futuristic healthcare monitoring devices for hospital patients. One key advantage to these tiny little skin-like circuits is that they do not require any conductive tapes or gels or skin-penetrating pins or burdensome wires. This would provide a much higher level of comfort for patients coupled with better care. Another potential use could be for athletes alerting them when to back off physical strain or when it’s time to rehydrate for better performance.
BioStamp was invented by John Rogers, Materials Scientist with the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Mr. Rogers is a lead scientist who works with world-renowned researchers comprised of over 45 PhDs and post-doctorate student groups equally as passionate about electronic materials. The group focuses primarily on breakthrough technologies such as this one and will continue their work on wireless power sources and communication systems to further complete this powerful invention.
Check out the full article here on Scientific Computing.
Visit MC10 Website here.
Image: screenshot of MC10 website owned solely by MC10 Inc
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