EEG recordings used in neurology could be made simpler by replacing the usual electrodes, wires and gels with a tattoo printed onto the scalp
By James Woodford
2 December 2024
Tattoos printed onto a person’s scalp can detect electrical activity in the brain and carry signals to a recording device
Nanshu Lu
Analysing brainwaves could be made easier by printing a temporary tattoo onto a person’s head.
Electroencephalography (EEG) is a way of measuring electrical activity in the brain via electrodes placed on the scalp. It can be used to test patients for neurological conditions such as epilepsy, tumours or injury from stroke or traumatic impacts to the head.
Read more
AI recreates clip of Pink Floyd song from recordings of brain activity
Advertisement
Because people’s skulls vary in size and shape, technicians have to spend considerable amounts of time measuring and marking the scalp to get accurate readings. A gel helps the electrodes detect brain signals, but it stops working well as it dries. The cables that connect to the electrodes can also cause discomfort and may interfere with subtle electric signals.
Nanshu Lu at the University of Texas at Austin and her team want to avoid these issues by printing a temporary tattoo onto the subject’s scalp. The ink for the tattoo is made of two polymers called poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and polystyrene sulfonate (PSS). It is highly conductive and durable and doesn’t irritate the skin.