Scientists are currently developing “smart tattoos” that are made from the same OLED technology that is found in modern TVs and mobile devices.
A report from Advanced Electronic Materials [via SciTech Daily/IGN], says that these smart tattoos actually have more purpose than just being able to glow. The OLED tattoos are incredibly thin, being just 2.3 micrometers.
So what other purpose do these smart OLED tattoos have other than looking fancy? According to the scientists, thanks to elements such as the “tattoo electronics,” they have the power to transmit light to detect when someone might be dehydrated or sunburnt.
It’s worth mentioning that the tattoos are not placed on the body in the traditional sense. Instead they’re placed on the body with OLED tattoo paper and pressed with a damp cloth. They’re apparently easily removed from the body with soapy water.
The smart OLED tattoos can even be placed on fruit and packaging to detect when food is about to expire.
“The tattooable OLEDs that we have demonstrated for the first time can be made at scale and very cheaply,” said Professor Franco Cacialli, the senior author of the paper. “They can be combined with other forms of tattoo electronics for a very wide range of possible uses.“
However, Cacialli also believes that this technology can help in the fight against cancer.
“In healthcare, they could emit light when there is a change in a patient’s condition or, if the tattoo was turned the other way into the skin, they could potentially be combined with light-sensitive therapies to target cancer cells, for instance,” Cacialli said.
Are you impressed by the possibilities of the smart OLED tattoos and would you get one? Personally, I’ve obviously been playing way too much Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, because all I can see are glowing Norse-inspired tattoos from the game!
Featured Image Credit: CD Projekt Red