EbonGeek

The next time you get some ink you may want to ask about upgrade options. It seems that scientists have created ultrathin microelectronic devices that can adhere to human skin much like a tattoo. According to Michael McAlpine of Princeton University. “This goes beyond Dick Tracy calling someone with a cell phone on the wrist. It’s having the wrist itself house the device so it’s always with you.” Source: Science News As our technology shrinks in size it will become easier to embed devices like these into the human body. The potential applications are almost limitless; from sensors and communications to augmentation of the human sensory system. Embeddable electronics like these could lead to a revolution in consumer electronics. According to Laura Sanders  at Science News.org; “Such devices could serve as conduits between the body and other electronics. In their tests the researchers used electronic skin to control a video game. When stuck on the throat, the device read the electrical activity of muscles as a person spoke the words “up,” “down,” “left,” and “right” to control a computer cursor as it navigated through a maze. The researchers plan to improve the technology by enabling wireless communication and adding ways to store power. The device already has the capability to get power from wireless coils and solar cells. And in the future, such electronics could be designed to power themselves with stray electromagnetic signals or even energy from body heat.” Source: Science News