Anglo-American team of researchers promoting the concept of control biomarkers (biometric indicators) of the human body using systems that do not require energy consumption. This bottleneck of all the external and implantable devices – they need a power source if not to measure the same level of glucose, then at least to transmit data to the monitor. Bulky, uncomfortable, expensive.
New project “Dermal Abyss” is devoted to the development bioacoustical substances that function in close contact with the plasma. It looks like a subcutaneous pattern similar to a tattoo, through which flows part of the intracellular fluid. Thus there is a constant chemical reaction which changes the color of the pattern depending on the concentration of specific substances in the body. No expenditure of energy – while the body is alive, tattoo “pulsate” in time with his rhythms.
In the starting experiments on pigs has deployed two prototypes of “smart ink”. The first response to glucose and becomes the darker, the higher it is. The second serves as a marker of sodium levels to prevent dehydration and, conversely, the brightness increases with increasing concentration of this element in the blood. This is the problem of problems – the human eye is not able to recognize the hints of pattern and to avoid confusion, it is necessary to scanning the biosensor with a smart phone and decrypt in a special Appendix.
The idea is to recognize the condition of the person only by the color of his tattoo, suddenly came upon the ethical problem – not all the people interviewed agreed so simply to demonstrate information about your health to others. Will need to adjust ink, for example, appeared only in the light of special medical flashlight. Plus there is the issue of longevity patterns that are relatively rapidly destroyed due to the continuous chemical reactions inside the human body.
Source — Harvard