These high tech color-changing tattoos are like scientific life-saving mood rings
Just when we thought science couldn’t get any cooler, it finds a way to blow our minds while simultaneously saving our lives. Researchers are testing color-changing tattoos that would essentially turn your skin into a health tracker. Like an interactive display, this new type of tattoo ink would react to your inner metabolic process. Furthermore, it the tattoos would change color when something is a bit wonky. Whoa!
How exactly does it work? Let’s delve into the specifics.
First of all, MIT Media Lab researcher Katie Vega (in collaboration with Harvard Medical School) created different types of biosensor inks. The inks measure the shifts in interstitial fluid in the skin. Then, traditional tattoo ink is replaced with these biosensor inks. Once implemented, these biosensors change colors. The colors are based on levels of sodium, glucose, or pH in the body. So, a color change would communicate a health warning. And hopefully, the color-changing tattoo would provide a quick diagnosis for your doctor.
Wow! Bill Nye was right. Sciences rules.
Fast Co. Design explains one potential for the scientific creation:
"A diabetic patient with a biosensor tattoo that told them their glucose levels by changing between blue and brown would eliminate the need for multiple daily finger-prick tests that are usually used to check blood sugar levels."
To watch the biosensor inks in action, watch this Mashable video.
That feels like a total game-changer! As for Katie Vega, she’s been researching what she calls “beauty technology” for several years. She’s combined the awesome power of electronics with cosmetics to bring us such things as Blinklifier. What’s that? Technology-powered fake eyelashes, of course. She’s also brought us conductive makeup and RFID-embedded acrylic nails.
We are living during some interesting times. That’s for sure!
