This temporary tattoo can monitor your vital signs
This is really cool

A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
"Temporary tattoos aren't just for style anymore," said Aneri Pattani at The New York Times. Japanese scientists have developed a wearable sensor that can monitor patients' vital signs, and also "looks and feels like a henna tattoo." That's a big advantage over current devices made out of polyester or rubber sheets that aren't breathable enough to allow air to pass through, making the wearer sweaty and itchy.
The prototype sensor is constructed from nanoscale mesh, "a spaghetti-like entanglement of fibers a thousand times thinner than a human hair," and can be applied in the same way as a temporary tattoo. The sensor can be rubbed off in water, "so in reality, it will need to be replaced after every shower or bath," but researchers hope that problem will be solved with future research.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
-
What to know when filing a hurricane insurance claim
The Explainer A step-by-step to figure out what insurance will cover and what else you can do beyond filing a claim
By Becca Stanek Published
-
How fees impact your investment portfolio — and how to save on them
The Explainer Even seemingly small fees can take a big bite out of returns
By Becca Stanek Published
-
Enemy without
Cartoons
By The Week Staff Published