Smart electronic tattoos have been devised, which will allow continuous monitoring of blood pressure levels without using the conventional inflatable arm cuff method. The scientists hope that this innovation will become a convenient way to control the health condition of people suffering from heart diseases and hypertension.

The technology has been invented by scientists of the University of Texas at Austin. The electronic tattoo is made in the form of a thin patch, which adheres to the skin surface. In contrast to conventional blood pressure meters, which give a reading once in a while, the electronic tattoo measures the pressure level continuously as the wearer goes through his routine work.

As claimed by the scientists, the tattoo uses the ultrasonic method. It emits the non-harmful waves into the body to measure changes in the blood vessels under the skin. This information allows calculating the blood pressure accurately.

The device has been designed so that it can be worn constantly without any discomfort for a long time.

A constant monitoring of their health status will be especially useful for hypertensive individuals. In fact, physicians argue that blood pressure can vary during the day depending on physical exercises, sleep and different external circumstances. Classic devices can ignore these variations since they measure blood pressure only once.

The researchers claim that an electronic tattoo can help doctors better evaluate a patient's health status and prescribe appropriate treatment more effectively. This tool can also help in detecting any sharp changes in blood pressure levels before they can cause any health complications.

During the experiment in laboratories, this smart tattoo gave similar readings of blood pressure level as a classical medical equipment does. In particular, it is expected to become a useful instrument for patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases as well as older people with some health disorders.

Though the results obtained are promising, this device is still under study and cannot be used by patients. Further clinical experiments are required to confirm safety and effectiveness of this device.

According to the experts, the technology like that of smart tattoos may prove to be crucial in future medicine. In addition to measuring blood pressure, these kinds of devices would be able one day to measure the heart rate, the level of blood sugar, body temperature, and other significant health indicators without causing any pain.

It is argued that such innovations will bring many benefits to healthcare by making it more convenient and helping to diagnose various diseases at an early stage.