How are the new OLED tattoos that emit light

Researchers at the University of London (UCL) and the Italian Institute of Technology have developed a smart tattoo that emits light and can be used to display information.

The tattoo uses organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), the same technology used in smartphones and televisions. It is applied in the same way as water transfer tattoos. In other words, OLEDs are made on temporary tattoo paper and transferred to the chosen skin or surface by pressing and rubbing them with water.

It consists of a polymer that emits light when an electric field is applied between the electrodes. An insulating layer is then placed between the electrodes and the tattoo paper.

One of the advantages of the technology is that it can be used on flexible surfaces, can be made from liquid solvents, and can be printed. All of this makes it easier to develop custom OLEDs.

According to the researchers, this product could be used in combination with other electronic devices to, for example, emit light when an athlete is dehydrated, or when it is necessary to get out of the sun to avoid burns.

OLED tattoos could also be used for cosmetic purposes as they sparkle and add a decorative touch, but they could also be used in other areas such as food packaging to indicate when a product has expired.

“Our proof of concept study is the first step. Future challenges will include encapsulating OLEDs as much as possible to prevent them from rapidly degrading on contact with air, as well as integrating the device with a battery or supercapacitor.“, The professor analyzed Franco Cacialli, Professor of physics and astronomy at UCL, main author of the article, in a publication published by the university.

“In the healthcare industry, they could emit light if a patient’s condition changes or, if the tattoo were placed upside down on the skin, they could potentially be combined with sensitive therapies. light to attack cancer cells, for example.Added the researcher.

The OLED device has a total thickness of 2.3 microns, which is less than 400th of a millimeter or about one-third the length of a red blood cell; while the electroluminescent polymer is 76 nanometers thick. Note that a nanometer is one millionth of a millimeter.

After developing this technology, they placed the tattoos on a glass panel, a plastic bottle, an orange, and a paper container, to test how it worked.

“The advantage of this technology is that it is inexpensive, easy to apply and use, and washes easily with soap and water.», Underlined the professor Virgilio Mattoli, researcher at the Italian Institute of Technology and main author of the research.

Sound tattoos

A few years ago sound tattoos were surprising. This technology, known as Soundwave Tatto, was developed by Nate Siggard in Los Angeles. It is a sound wave permanently painted on the skin that a mobile phone app reads and reproduces. This allows users to record phrases of loved ones and even fragments of melodies.

The user uploads a sound to the company’s website; the site generates the wave which is carried to the tattoo artist, who then takes care of placing it on the skin. Although this technology originated in the United States, today this type of tattoos can be done in different parts of the world. On the company’s website called Skin Motion.

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