A wearable sensor, just like a tattoo

Researchers say the new nanomesh device can theoretically be worn for a week or longer

Temporary tattoos aren’t just for style anymore. Scientists have developed a new wearable sensor that looks and feels like a henna tattoo but can monitor electrical muscle activity and body temperature, too.

In a paper published Monday in Nature Nanotechnology, researchers described a new ultrathin, lightweight, breathable sensor constructed from nanoscale mesh, a spaghetti-like entanglement of fibers a thousand times thinner than a human hair. It can monitor vital signals over a long period of time without inflaming or irritating skin, a side effect of many current devices.

“We succeeded in completely removing the discomfort of wear,” said Takao Someya, a co-author