Researchers in the US have claimed to have developed ‘drawn-on skin electronics’, which enables circuits and sensors to be drawn onto the skin with an ink pen.

Led by Dr. Cunjiang Yu who is a Bill D. Cook Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Houston, the team of researchers believe that the skin-based multifunctional sensors can collect data much more accurately and precisely than that of a wearable device such as a FitBit.

According to Yu and the team, the drawn-on skin electronics are useful primarily in environments where it’s not possible to have access to sophisticated equipment.

Regardless of the wearer’s movements, this technology has been designed to collect it’s data in a seamless manner. Besides demonstrating the capability to propel the healing of wounds, Yu states that the drawn-on-skin electronics can monitor heart rate, muscle signals, temperature and skin hydration.

“It is applied like you would use a pen to write on a piece of paper,” said Yu. “We prepare several electronic materials and then use pens to dispense them. Coming out, it is liquid. But like ink on paper, it dries very quickly.”