South Korean Scientists Develop Tattoo Health Device
2022-08-08
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1South Korean scientists are working on a health device in the form of a tattoo that could alert users to possible health problems.
2Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have developed an electronic ink made of liquid metal and very small tubes of carbon, or carbon nanotubes.
3The ink works by creating something like an electric circuit on the skin.
4When the tattoo is connected to an electrocardiogram device or other biosensor, it can send a patient's heart rate and other important health signs to a monitor.
5Steve Park is the leader of the research project.
6He said, "In the future, what we hope to do is connect a wireless chip integrated with this ink, so that we can communicate, or we can send signal back and forth between our body to an external device."
7External device monitors could be located anywhere, including in patients' homes.
8The electronic ink is much more comfortable for the user than existing biosensors, Park said.
9He called it "biocompatible," meaning it does not hurt living tissue.
10Park added that the ink can be removed with soap.
11The ink is non-invasive and made from particles based on gallium, a soft, silvery metal also used in semiconductors and in thermometers.
12The carbon nanotubes help conduct electricity and keep the tattoo on the skin.
13Park said, "When it is applied to the skin, even with rubbing the tattoo doesn't come off, which is not possible with just liquid metal."
14I'm Ashley Thompson.
1South Korean scientists are working on a health device in the form of a tattoo that could alert users to possible health problems. 2Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have developed an electronic ink made of liquid metal and very small tubes of carbon, or carbon nanotubes. The ink works by creating something like an electric circuit on the skin. 3When the tattoo is connected to an electrocardiogram device or other biosensor, it can send a patient's heart rate and other important health signs to a monitor. 4Steve Park is the leader of the research project. He said, "In the future, what we hope to do is connect a wireless chip integrated with this ink, so that we can communicate, or we can send signal back and forth between our body to an external device." 5External device monitors could be located anywhere, including in patients' homes. 6The electronic ink is much more comfortable for the user than existing biosensors, Park said. He called it "biocompatible," meaning it does not hurt living tissue. 7Park added that the ink can be removed with soap. 8The ink is non-invasive and made from particles based on gallium, a soft, silvery metal also used in semiconductors and in thermometers. The carbon nanotubes help conduct electricity and keep the tattoo on the skin. 9Park said, "When it is applied to the skin, even with rubbing the tattoo doesn't come off, which is not possible with just liquid metal." 10I'm Ashley Thompson. 11Minwoo Park and Daewoung Kim reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English. 12_______________________________________________________________________ 13Words in This Story 14biosensor - n. a device that monitors and transmits information about a life process 15monitor - n. a device that shows information or images on a screen 16integrate -- v. to combine (two or more things) to form or create something 17external -- adj. located, seen, or used on the outside or surface of something 18apply -- v. to put or spread (something) on a surface, a part of the body, etc.