A tattoo refers to a body art which is made by the insertion of dyes, inks and pigments unto the dermis (a layer of living tissue which is situated below the epidermis with the aim of changing the pigment). Tattoos can be either temporary or permanent.

Over the centuries, tattoos have served various purposes, which include the following:

Identification: Tattoos have been used times as a means of identification. Among the Yoruba people of South-western Nigeria, tribal marks which are a sort of facial tattoo were used in identifying the town an individual originated from. The ancient Chinese and Romans also used tattoos in marking slaves, thereby making it obvious to the general public that the bearer of the tattoo was a slave. Even Roman soldiers had to get identifying tattoos on their hands, so as to make desertion tough.

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Cosmetics: These days, tattoos serve several decorative purposes, which include makeup purposes such as the enhancement of the eyebrows, lips, etc.

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Medicine: In medicine, tattoos serve several purposes which include alerting medical personnel to an individual's health status. For example, a tattoo such as the one below can be used in informing medical personnel that the bearer has Type 1 Diabetes.

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Tattoos serve other uses in medicine, which include the coverage of the skin in cases of vitiligo, which is a disorder of the skin's pigment. Tattoos are also employed in cases of breast reconstruction surgeries, to show the point where the areola ought to be.

Enough of all the stories. If you have been following my blog, you'll know I have always said that the future will be a beautiful place. With all the technological advancements we are seeing around us, almost nothing is impossible. Imagine a future where you don't have to visit the doctor to determine your health condition. A world where a piece of art enables you to know your body's health condition. I present to you, "The Biosensors Tattoo"

Scientists at the MIT media lab, are working along with other scientists at the Harvard Medical School as a group called Dermal Abyss. This group is currently working on the infusion of tattoo inks with biosensors which determine an individual's health status by measuring the alteration in the amount of interstitial fluid in the skin, changing colour as a result.

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HOW CAN THE TATTOOS BE USEFUL?

Upon being fully developed, these biosensor tattoos can aid in various aspects, which include :

Determination of blood sugar level in Diabetes Patients: Forget about having to prick your thumb to determine your blood glucose level. The biosensors present in the ink being designed will let the tattoos keep a watch on the amount of glucose in the bearer's body. As the amount of glucose in the blood increases or decreases, the tattoos will follow the change in glucose level, changing colour from blue to brown, when the glucose level is increasing and from brown to green when it is reducing.
Determination Of The Body's pH: The use of certain medications, stress, lack of sleep, water or the both, etc can result in an imbalance in the body's pH level, which can result in coma or death. It is important to ensure that the body's pH is balanced at levels which range between 7.35 and 7.45. These biosensor tattoos can aid in the monitoring of the pH level at all time, thereby alerting one, so as to avoid dangers which might arise as a result of pH imbalance.

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**Determination Of The Body's Moisture Content: The body needs water to carry out several activities. Excessive water or the inavailability of adequate water in thee body can be dangerous to the health. By tracking the body's sodium, the tattoos can alert the bearer to potential danger which might arise as a result of dehydration, thereby preventing the occurrence of disaster.

If these tattoos hit the society, they could potentially change the way several thing things are viewed. A person might not have to visit the doctor at every slight symptom. Like I have always said, the future will be a beautiful place and time.

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