Electronics printed directly on the skin

Developed by an engineerów from the University of Minnesota sposób 3D printing directly on skórze involves the use of a suitable ink, whichóry contains conductive silver flakes. When such a „electronic tattoo” will no longer be needed, it can be easily removed from the skóry.

– We are excited about the potential of this new 3D printing technology. All you need is a portable, lightweight printer costing less than $400. We can imagine a situation in whichóThe printer can be taken out of the soldier’s backpack and printed on the skósuch as. hand a sensor that detects chemical or biological agents or other electronics it needs – said Michael McAlpine, an engineering professor at the University of Minnesota.

– It’s something like a Swiss Army Knife of the future with everything you need in one portable tool – 3D printer – added McAlpine, a headówny author of the study, które published in the journal „Advanced Materials".

Potential applications of the new technology beyond printing electronics onto skórze include róAlso printing from biotech „patches” on wounds thatóre can speed up their healing process and lead to the development of new treatments for traumaów and transplantationóin the skóry.

The researchers tested this wayób on mice. They successfully printed on the skóthat rodents comórki biologic. The technology paves the way for many other applications, including printing comórek to pomóc people suffering from rósoreness of skóry.

One of the key innovations in the new 3D printing technique is that this printer can adapt to movementóin the body during printing. On skóth are placing temporary markers while skóra is continuously scanned. The printer uses this to adapt to movementóin real time.

Another important factor is the ink itself, whichóry can be used at room temperatures. RóIt differs from other inków for 3D printing, whichóre require curing at high temperatures, even up to 100 degrees Celsius.