Temporary graphene tattoos could continuously monitor blood pressure

The person is Jeremy Hsu.

Blood pressure can be monitored with temporary tattoos made of Graphene. Standard blood pressure cuffs have not changed much since they were first invented a century ago.

There is a tattoo that is invisible. You put it on and forget about it.

A group of people created a tattoo consisting of 12 strips of Graphene placed in two rows on the forearm. Small electrical signals are sent into the arm from the outermost strips of each row. Alterations in blood flow can be detected by the inner strip.

The highest level of accuracy for a medical device is defined by international standards, and the tattoos can measure blood pressure continuously.

Six people had their tattoos tested and they were found to work well during hours of work and walking. When participants plunged their arms into a bucket of ice-cold water, they worked. At night, the tattoos worked well.

Much of the hardware needed to record and analyse the data from the tattoo is connected by a wire. The team may use wireless connections in the future. It's possible to use contacts between the tattoos and the watch.

It could be useful to have a device that can measure blood pressure when the wearer is on the move or asleep. "We want to move towards measuring the blood pressure continuously and what I call passive, meaning that you don't know when your blood pressure is being measured."

A standard blood pressure monitor can be inaccurate for a number of reasons, including factors such as stress or dehydration. When people see a doctor, there can be spikes in blood pressure. People are usually required to sit by standard monitors.

Other researchers are looking into the use of photoplethysmography as a way to measure blood pressure. Factors such as skin colour and the layer of fat underneath the skin can make it hard to get a good picture ofPPG.

The researchers want to test the tattoos in people with high blood pressure.

The journal's title is Nature Biotechnology.