Need a wearable sensor? Grab some tissue paper

Wearable technology seemingly gets smaller and more inconspicuous with each passing day, but the latest breakthrough will surprise even the most stoic tech savant. A team of engineers at the University of Washington has constructed a wearable sensor out of tissue paper, and you can not only blow your nose into it, but you can also use it to detect barely perceptible movements such as the blink of an eye or the beat of a heart.

In a paper published in last month’s issue of the scientific journal Advanced Materials Technologies, the UW team illustrates that when an ordinary piece of tissue paper is soaked in a solution of carbon nanotube-laced water and then torn into pieces, the broken fibers of the paper take on sensory properties. The little strips of tissue paper can detect subtle movements of the human eye and finger, making them potentially applicable in a variety of diverse fields such as healthcare and gaming. Read more...

Reference: Electronic Products
                   Warren Miller