In a new experiment carried out by researchers at the University of Texas at Austin, in the United States, a prototype of an electronic tattoo was developed that can be worn on the wrist for hours as a form of continuous blood pressure measurements, doing the same work as the equipment. conventional ones already available in the markets. The findings were published in the scientific journal Nature Nanotechnology.
Blood pressure is one of the most important indicators of heart health. However, it is difficult to measure frequently and reliably outside of a clinical setting.
But Deji Akinwande, a professor in the University of Texas Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and one of the people who coordinated the project, said in a statement that “methods that measure outside the clinic, without a cuff, are very limited.”
The device’s continuous monitoring, called e-tattoo, allows blood pressure measurements in all kinds of situations: in times of high stress, during sleep, and in physical activity and exercise, in addition to providing thousands of measurements more than any device already available. The e-tattoo was able to collect accurate data for five hours.
There are several devices, such as smartwatches, that take measurements. But, according to the researchers, they are not yet ready for blood pressure monitoring. That’s because watches slip on the wrist and can be far from arteries, making it difficult to get accurate readings.
electronic tattoos
In the case of e-tattoo, graphene, one of the strongest and thinnest materials in existence, is a key ingredient. The material is similar to the graphite found in pencils, but the atoms are arranged in thin layers.
Electronic tattoos are used as a sticky, elastic material that wraps around the sensors, which is comfortable to wear for long periods of time and does not slip on the skin.
The developed device makes the edits by firing an electrical current into the skin and analyzing the body’s response, which is known as bioimpedance.
There is a correlation between bioimpedance and changes in blood pressure, which has to do with changes in blood volume.
However, the researchers say, the correlation is not obvious, which is why a machine learning model had to be created to analyze the connection and obtain accurate blood pressure readings.
The researchers believe that, with the novelty, patients can receive personalized care.
“All of this data can help create a digital twin to model the human body, predict and show how it might react and respond to treatments over time,” said Akinwande.
Source: CNN Brasil
