KAIST Develops Nano-Ink for Health Monitoring

Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in Daejeon have created an electronic ink made of liquid metal and carbon nanotubes to monitor health.

The ink is made from gallium-based particles, which are also used in semiconductors or thermometers, and from the nanotubes painted with platinum to conduct electricity.

The ink can transmit readings of a patient's heart rate, glucose and other indicators when connected to an electrocardiogram or other biosensor.

However, the researchers want to use external devices to display the readings in the future. Project leader Steve Park, a materials science and engineering professor said:

"In the future, what we hope to do is connect a wireless chip integrated with this ink, so that we can communicate, or we can send a signal back and forth between our body to an external device."