Graphene ‘tattoo’ uses light to treat heart arrhythmia. The first graphene-based heart implant detects abnormalities, and stimulates the heart. It is the Thinnest Cardiac Implant on a Tattoo Paper.
The new Graphene Tattoo works as a shock absorber, but it also has better compatibility with moving soft tissue and high-quality electrical and optical materials.
When tested on small animals, the graphene tattoo detected the heart’s every beat and delivered electrical impulses to correct the rhythm.
The device is also transparent, allowing researchers to record and stimulate the heart with light using optogenetics.
Researchers at Northwestern University and the University of Texas at Austin (UT) have developed the first heart implant made from graphene, a two-dimensional material with high strength, lightness and control.
Similar to a temporary tattoo, this new graphene-based “killer” is thinner than a single strand of hair, but still works as an accelerator. But unlike current pacemakers and implanted defibrillators, which require a hard, rigid device that doesn’t fit the body, the new device slowly dissolves into the heart to detect whether or not – treat heart attacks regularly. The implant is thin and flexible enough to conform to the delicate contours of the heart, and stretchy and strong enough to withstand the forceful movements of a beating heart.
After placing the device in a rat model, the researchers demonstrated that the graphene tattoo can detect irregular heartbeats and deliver electrical impulses through a series of pulses that block or alter the heart’s rhythmic movements. Even better: the technology is also very visible, allowing researchers to use external sources of light to record and stimulate the heart through the device.
The study will be published on Thursday, April 20 in the journal Advanced Materials.
Source: Northwestern University
