tattoo

Get inked with ceramics—or maybe not

By Lisa McDonald / September 6, 2019

Titanium dioxide is the second most common pigment used in tattoo inks. Yet researchers of two studies warn nano-TiO2 could travel to your lymph nodes—and bring metal particles from the needle along with it.

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Graphene temporary tattoos offer potential for mobile health monitoring, human machine interfaces, and more

By April Gocha / August 8, 2017

A team at the University of Texas at Austin has developed a wearable electronic sensor that incorporates wonder material graphene, allowing the temporary tattoo-like sensor to measure electrical activity from the heart, muscles, brain, and more.

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Video: Biosensing tattoos react to chemical information in body fluid

By Faye Oney / July 5, 2017

Can a tattoo monitor glucose levels? Researchers have developed biosensing tattoo ink that identifies metabolic processes through reactions in interstitial fluid—which could eventually provide data on an individual’s medical condition.

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Other materials stories that may be of interest

By April Gocha / July 20, 2016

Nanotech tattoo monitors muscle activity, microchips enable extreme space science, and other materials stories that may be of interest for July 20, 2016.

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LCD tattoo promises no pain, no regrets, and a better handle on your health

By April Gocha / September 8, 2015

John Rogers, his research team from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and colleagues at Northwestern University and beyond have developed a liquid crystal display (LCD) tattoo that does more than look and sound cool—it monitors your health.

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UPDATE: Get inked with ceramics—the science behind tattoos

By April Gocha / August 7, 2015

CTT reader Bart Kilinski pointed out that several of the substances listed in the tattoo ink infographic above are indeed toxic substances—particularly cinnabar and cadmium and chrome oxides. “Surely those aren’t used in tattooing,” Kilinski comments.

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Next-gen biobatteries—How your next tattoo could use sweat to provide power

By April Gocha / August 15, 2014

New research presented at the recent ACS National Meeting shows that it’s possible to make wearable biobatteries that combine sensors embedded in temporary tattoos with power generators.

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