Researchers at the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Engineering have developed a highly elastic wearable e-skin to continuously monitor a person’s health over a long period of time.

The hypo-allergenic, ultrathin skin can display simple characters and moving graphics, numbers and words with the use of 16×24 micro LEDs.

The artificial skin consists of a 3.5 micrometre thick microscopic magnetic field sensor, between two layers of film.

It uses a wireless communication module to upload health data to a medical cloud and sends reminders to take medications. This will allow medical professionals to keep tabs on the health of their patients while they are in the comfort of their own home.

In the future, Takao Someya says « It will become possible to monitor patients’ vital signs without causing any stress or discomfort, ».

As well as medical applications and nursing care, the device guarantees to permit continuous monitoring of bodily motion and athletes psychological signals without interfering with their performance or training.

References

• Science. (https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/01/watch-wearable-electronic-skin-control-virtual-objects). January 19, 2018. Matt Warren. Watch this wearable electronic skin control virtual objects
• Design Milk. (https://design-milk.com/future-electronic-skin-technology/). February 21, 2018. Gregory Han. The Future of Wearables Is Elastic Electronic Skin