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Scientists have developed a Modern technology that can measure brain waves using electronic , temporary tattoo .
The research worker say the method could act as a quicker and more commodious way to supervise learning ability activity and diagnose neurological conditions , such as seizures , epilepsyand brain neoplasm , compare to traditionalelectroencephalogram(EEG ) exam .
During an EEG test , technicians usually use rulers and pencil to mark up a individual ’s headland before gluing electrode across the scalp . These electrode are then connected via prospicient wires to a machine that records brain activity . or else , a cap with electrode can be directly place on the question .
However , this whole physical process is metre - consume and inconvenient , say the developer of the new engineering science . It in the main takes around one to two hours to set up an EEG test , say Colorado - developerNanshu Lu , a prof of technology at the University of Texas at Austin . The electrodes then require to be monitored about every two hours because the gum that attaches them to the scalp dries up , she told Live Science in an email .
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The new technology , on the other handwriting , uses a robot that is digitally program to jet ink made of conductive material onto specific positions on a person ’s scalp — saving both time and proletariat , say the researchers . Currently , this printing process still takes an hour as the team has to manually correct for a soul ' drumhead movements , Lu enounce . However , if next adaptative printing can be fully automated , the whole impression process can be done within 20 instant , she add .
The ink then dry out into a thin film , known as an electronic tattoo , that is 30 micrometer thick — or so half the breadth of a human whisker . Like regular EEG electrodes , these e - tattoos can then be used to detect changes in the electrical natural process of the Einstein .
In a Modern study , publish Monday ( Dec. 2 ) in the journalCell Biomaterials , the researchers tested the engineering on five mass with brusque pilus to compare it to conventional EEG technology . They come up that the e - tattoos were just as upright at discover mental capacity waves as the ceremonious EEG electrodes that were placed next to them .
Furthermore , the e - tattoos stayed on the participants ' heads and could record brain activity for at least a twenty-four hour period , while the EEG electrode began dropping off after six hours . Once mensuration are made , east - tattoos can be plainly scratch off using inebriant wipes or washed off using shampoo , Lu pronounce . EEG electrode mucilage , on the other deal , is more unmanageable to get out of hair .
The ink formula can also be modify to create tattoo lines onto the scalp , meaning that the wires that connect the e - tattoo to a monitor are much shorter than they would be in a regular EEG test .
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The researcher now demand to learn if these e - tattoos work in patient with specific neurologic experimental condition , as well as those with different lengths and eccentric of pilus , or skin allergies . They ’re also planning to invent a printing machine that can make an ink that does n’t rub off on a person ’s pillow as they sleep , Lu say . This could theoretically enable scientists to measure brain action overnight , which may be useful for diagnose matter like nap disorders .
In the future , the researchers also go for to imbed wireless data transmitters in the atomic number 99 - tattoos to make the system fully portable .
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