A U.K. scientist has devised an electronic device small enough to be attached to an ordinary bandage that can detect vital signs including temperature, blood pressure and glucose levels. The device then sends the information to a computer database via mobile phone or PDA.
The device, referred to as a 'digital plaster,' measures three millimeters by five and contains a silicon chip, which can carry sensors for a range of symptoms. The information from the sensors is processed by the Sensium silicon chip which is powered by a tiny battery, the same size as that used to power a watch.
The technology, which has been developed by Toumaz, a spin-off company from London's Imperial College, will be tested in clinical trials over the next few months.
