Scientists have created a graphene tattoo that monitors blood pressure

An article published on Monday (20) in the scientific journal Nature’s nanotechnologyoffers a convenient and accurate solution for continuous measurements of blood pressure In non-clinical (outpatient) settings. It was developed by researchers at the University of Texas at Austin, USA, This is an electronic graphene tattoowhich can stay on the wrist for hours.

Continuous monitoring of blood pressure is a necessary procedure for understanding various health conditions, in particular Cardiovascular disease. This procedure can not only provide support for medical diagnosis, but also allow monitoring platforms to establish a relationship between the disease and the patient’s behavior and habits.

The importance of monitoring blood pressure

For Deji Akinwande, a professor at UT Austin and one of the research leaders, “Blood pressure is the most important vital sign you can measurebut ways to do it outside the clinic, passively, and without restrictions, are very limited.” Therefore, the study suggests monitoring through a wearable device, based on bioelectrical impedance.

It is called electronic tattoo, graphene tattoo It is thin, self-adhesive, light and discreet, acting as an electronic human interface. With it, blood pressure can be measured in any type of situation, from moments of extreme stress to deep sleep. In addition to non-invasive and accurate measurement (performance equivalent to Grade A), the wearable can be worn for more than 300 minutes, ten times longer than reported in previous studies.

The measurements are made by releasing an electric current into the skin, followed by analysis of the body’s response (bioimpedance). There is a relationship between this interaction and changes in blood pressure, due to changes in blood volume, which are It was later analyzed by a machine learning model.

Article – Commodity Nature’s Nanotechnology – Dos: 10.1038 / s41565-022-01145-w.