E-skin: how to extend the capabilities of the human body

What if the smart gadgets could not only wear by means of straps and bracelets, but and paste directly on the skin? Layfhaker and N + 1 are divided into a selection of the most interesting developments in the field of "electronic tattoo".

In cutaneous electronics we can distinguish two main approaches. The first is to create devices that measure various physiological parameters of the body. Another approach involves no use of the existing possibilities of the human body, and their extension.

Authors of the project DuoSkin from MIT and Microsoft Research inspired by applied directly to the skin with gold ornaments, is gaining popularity in Asian countries. They created "tattoos" are made up of gold foil deposited on the biocompatible silicone film. They can be used as a touch pad or buttons synchronized with other devices, as well as an antenna.

The technology was recently demonstratedInflammation-free, gas-permeable, lightweight, stretchable on-skin electronics with nanomeshes.

Cutaneous electronics, like any other, needs to be powered. Chinese scientists have developed for this transparent and flexible tribogeneratorUltrastretchable, transparent triboelectric nanogenerator as electronic skin for biomechanical energy harvesting and tactile sensing. Which generates an electric current to the touch. The researchers showed that his power even enough to feed a small display.

American engineers have offered not to stick the electronics and print3D Printed Stretchable Tactile Sensors. it directly on the skin in just a few minutes. For example, they are printed on a model hand pressure sensors that can be used as buttons for controlling devices and even as a heart rate monitor.

US-Korean team of scientists unveiled the plaster with a miniature acoustic sensor that can serve as a precision microphone who hears only sounds coming from the carrier, but not the surrounding noise. With it, researchers have even played in the Pac-Man with a voice-controlled characters.

Korean scientists have created a transparent and flexible touchpadHighly stretchable, transparent ionic touch panel. Which can be mounted directly on the arm, or rather on the forearm. At its corners the weak current is supplied, and to the touch circuit is closed.

finger coordinates in real-time calculated by the current change in the corners, due to which such a touchpad, no matter how he stretched. This gives the user greater freedom of action.

As worn on the hand a huge touchpad, or other device is not very convenient, from the MIT engineers have done a tiny touchpadThumbnail track pad. , Which is attached to the thumb. This device can be used, for example, when cooking: flipping recipe, not letting go of the foods and cooking utensils. A great way to control your computer or phone when your hands are busy.

Engineers from the University of Carnegie - Mellon University decided to use as a control device directly to the skin. For this, they have fixed on the hand a special bracelet with two electrodes and a high-frequency transmitter.

When a person touches the forearm, the system calculates the location of a finger on the distance from the distribution points of the signal to each of the two electrodes. Thus technology transforms hand in a large touchpad, with which you can control other devices, for example to play Angry Birds on the clock.