A newly developed e-tattoo can see when the brain is working too hard, researchers have found.
The electronic device sits on the face and is able to measure mental strain.
The researchers who created it suggest that the technology could be used to track the mental workload of air traffic controllers, truck drivers and others who are required to keep intense concentration for long periods of time, as reported by Need To Know.
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The non-permanent, wireless forehead e-tattoo is able to monitor brain activity to detect when a person’s workload becomes too high or too low.
And the aim of the e-tattoo is to help workers to maintain optimal cognitive performance.
It consists of a lightweight battery pack and paper-thin sensors which feature wavy loops and coils.
The sensors are able to stretch and conform seamlessly to the skin for comfort and clear signals.
Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin tested the e-tattoo on six participants.
The participants each completed a memory challenge that increased in difficulty.
As the mental load of each person became more intense, results suggested that the device could detect when the brain was struggling.
The e-tattoo was also able to predict mental strain and researchers trained a computer model to estimate mental workload based on signals from the e-tattoo.
It is expected to cost £148 for the e-tattoo’s chips and battery pack.
Disposable sensors will cost around £14 each.
According to the university, traditional EEG (Electroencephalogram) equipment, which measures the electrical activity of the brain, can exceed £11,000.
Luis Sentis, a co-senior author for UT Austin would like the e-tattoo to one day become something that people can use at home.
“Being low cost makes the device accessible,” he said.
“One of my wishes is to turn the e-tattoo into a product we can wear at home.”
Nanshu Lu, the study’s co-author, added: “Technology is developing faster than human evolution.
“Our brain capacity cannot keep up and can easily get overloaded.
“There is an optimal mental workload for optimal performance, which differs from person to person.”
While the e-tattoo only works on hairless skin, the researchers are working to combine it with ink-based sensors that work on hair.
This will allow for full head coverage and more comprehensive brain monitoring.
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