This Futuristic Electronic Skin Turns Your Body Into A Digital Display

Short Bytes: A team of Japanese researchers has developed an ultrathin electronic skin that allows a person to wear it like a digital display on his/her body. Made from organic and inorganic materials, this electronic skin could find its use in medical, sports and other fields.

The biohackers are on the rise and their quest to ‘customize’ their bodies has resulted in the creation of an electronic skin. This e-skin allows a person to turn his/her skin into an actual LED display Developed in Tokyo, Japan, the researchers have made these super-flexible electronic displays that are just 3 micrometers thick, making them the thinnest ever. To give an idea about this thickness, in simpler words — it’s about 13 times thinner than a human hair.

The researchers aim to make this e-skin eventually a part of our daily live as our clothes. Such a device will allow the electronic display to show biomedical data like heart rates or blood oxygen levels. If developed further, this could prove to be a major boon for medical patients, athletes, and others.

Electronic skin is made from a combination of organic and inorganic materials

Made by Takao Someya at the University of Tokyo and his team, this ultrathin layer is made from alternating layers of inorganic (Silicon Oxynitrite) and organic (Parylene) materials.

This combination of material has allowed the researchers to connect transparent electrodes to the e-skin and prevent the passage of water vapors and oxygen through the material, extending the life of the skin to a few days.

Compared to other comparable and ultrathin LEDs, the team noticed a six-fold improvement in efficiency. This also means a huge reduction in power consumption and heat generation.

“A worker will be able to have building plans or an electrical diagram displayed on their skin without carrying heavy devices,” Someya explains about the further applications of the device.