Researchers at US university Princeton have developed a ‘tooth tattoo’ made from strands of silk and gold which can recognise bacteria that causes infection and could help with early detection of harmful viruses. The wireless device is glued to the enamel; it then transmits data to a computer detailing the chemicals present in breath and saliva.
Although the ‘tattoo’ is still in the early stages of development, researchers hope it could one day me used to monitor human health and help prevent life-threatening conditions getting out of control before treatment can be sought. The teams principal investigator Michael McAlpine explained that ‘the antenna coil is what transmits the signal, you don’t need a battery,’ after carrying out tests using a cow’s tooth. The device was created by mixing the silk strands and gold wires with a thin sheet of carbon called graphene, which makes a very thin substance that can be applied to the tooth like a transfer tattoo – hence the name ‘tooth tattoo.’
At the moment, it is too big to be placed on a human tooth, so the team are working to scale the invention down and make it strong enough to withstand brushing for a long period of time, Mr McAlpine said ‘Ideally, you want something that would be there for a while. We have a way to go before we could master that.’