Tufts University researchers have developed a technique to use the stitches on a patient to monitor their health. The stitches used in the device are made from carbon nanotubes and contain a variety of chemicals. Each element lets the stitches detect a different property, such as temperature, strain on the tissue, or chemical balance. By combining a variety of these threads with a small circuit, doctors can monitor a patient’s status as long as the stitches stay in the operated area. This site contains more details on how the technology works.
I think this is an elegant technology. Once this technology is mature enough, a patient can be sent home after surgery. Her phone can then pick up vital signals from her body and send it to the hospital for monitoring. It also means no more expensive and bulky health monitor systems that have to stay with a patient for a long time, limiting the capacity of hospitals. It improves the quality of life and should hopefully make medical costs less over time, due to the simplicity of the technology.
