Sensors in Tattoos

[#1]

We’ve talked about sensors entering the environment, but to have them actually placed on us every day in a way that doesn’t interfere with our activities would be a real advantage in combating some forms of chronic illness. I’ve mentioned before that chronic illness is something that if you live long enough will happen.

This article in IEEE is focused on Medical Tattoos – actually more temporary tattoos with embedded sensors that can collect information like blood sugar levels without the annoying skin **bleep**.

Yahoo also had an article on tracking bodily functions with wearable electronics. These Epidermal electronic systems (ESS) are as accurate as bulky traditional medical equipment. It goes on to talk about new computer/human interface possibilities enabling new types of human enhancement and prosthetics.

This article showed a picture of one of these temporary tattoos fitted with electronics… Ifound the possibilities of this whole approach and the eventual inclusion of a feedback system to control drugs... as having some real interesting possibilities.

[#2]

Apart from medical applications, a stripped down version offering either just identification or RTLS might be useful as an RFID day pass. There's a video of this being applied to skin, with the backing eventually melting away in water:

http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_videos.jsp?cntn_id=121343&media_id=70972&org=NSF

One takeaway of seeing that process in action was that application could stand some simplification or streamlining. Logistics specialists might call that goal "slap and ship".

Given that this approach requires no implants, somewhere along the development curve it could reasonably be expected to supercede earlier, similar approaches such as this:
http://www.core77.com/competitions/GreenerGadgets/projects/4673/

[#3]

Here is another story that's related to Medical Tattoos.

[#4]

Hi Charlie, I am interested to find out more about the whole sensor network concept and how you see this evolving?

[#5]

HP has done some very interesting work  on massive networks of sensors.

There was also this other post about sensors in space that has some interesting thoughts to ponder.

One thing to keep in mind is that just because we can place sensors and controls on devices in the field, it is not enough. We need to actually use the information to make better decisions and possibly reduce the time-to-decision. We may also be able to control the environment more effectively -- but it will take some significant networking research and development to make that happen.