Wearable technology has become increasingly popular in recent years. The most common wearable devices include smartwatches, smart jewelry, fitness trackers, smart clothing, head-mounted displays and implantables. A more recent form of wearable technology that is still being developed by scientists is electronic tattoos.

What is an electronic tattoo?

This is a 3D tattoo printed on the skin, just like traditional tattoos. Also referred to as smart tattoos, electronic tattoos have small trackers and sensors that receive and send information via a special ink that conducts electricity. 

This groundbreaking technology has numerous applications for the healthcare industry. For instance, e-tattoos can monitor your vital signs such as skin hydration, heart rate and blood pressure. They can also store medical information, as well as help prevent and control diseases. Healthcare experts can track and diagnose serious health conditions like sleep disorders, heart activities of preterm babies and heart arrhythmia.

According to Bill Gates, smart tattoos are likely to replace smartphones in the near future. With this technology, you will be able to lookup an address, send a text or make a call. E-tattoos have several military applications as well. This idea has been popularized by several Hollywood movies.

Advantages of electronic tattoos

• Stress-free – Since e-tattoos exist on your skin, they are easily portable. And you don’t have to worry about charging or replacing batteries 
• Robust – Unlike most wearable devices, e-tattoos are waterproof, flexible and impervious to stretching
• Accurate and instant information – Wearable devices can only obtain readings via the skin or even clothing. This can make it hard for them to get accurate readings. E-tattoos integrate directly into your skin and provide accurate, instantaneous lifesaving data
• Environmentally friendly – Wearable devices abandoned after months or years of use end up as material waste, thus harming the environment. Smart tattoos help solve this problem

Disadvantages of electronic tattoos

• Impermanent – Currently, there is no technology for permanent, long-lasting electronic tattoos. Most of these tattoos are designed to be used for a maximum of 1-2 weeks. However, even when e-tattoos are permanent, most people might not like the idea of having a permanent marking on their body  
• Privacy/hacking concerns – Microsoft is creating smart tattoos that can communicate directly with your mobile device. While this is convenient, it could pose a significant risk if your data falls into the wrong hands

Conclusion

While significant advances have been made in recent years, there is no certainty about when electronic tattoos will be fully implemented. To stay up to date with the latest technology news, visit the Tech One IT website. If you want to join our team, check out the open jobs: https://techoneit.com/careers