It has all the makings to move the hipsters: printing electronic circuits directly on the skin. Tattoo parlors will acquire an electronics section, and the human body will finally fulfill its historic destiny, reaching the end of the journey that began from that primordial soup: it will become a motherboard!
Printing sensor circuits directly on the skin has been around as an idea for a few years, with many and various uses. However, there was a problem. This printing is traditionally done at a temperature of 300 degrees Celsius, which human cells (still) cannot withstand.
A Sino-American research team (yes, such collaborations still exist!) claims to have solved the problem. They found a material that can be applied to the skin, which on one hand acts as “thermal insulation” and on the other allows the circuit to be printed at a significantly lower temperature.
For what purpose? Why, for health protection, of course! Is there anything more important? The sensors will monitor temperature, humidity, blood oxygen levels, and heart rate – transmitting the data to the “remote control of daily life” (a.k.a. “smart phone”). And this – say the ever-innovative technicians – will be just the beginning. Circuits could be printed that control blood sugar levels, or even neurological disorders…
We assume there will be a marriage between the aesthetics of tattoos and the functionality of circuits. “I want this little chip to be in the shape of a tiger’s head,” a customer might request…
And those who sell – and will sell – wearables? Nobody’s going to waste away: they will evolve into something much, much “smarter”…