G-Putty, a Combination of Silly Putty and Graphene, Can Measure Pulse and Blood Presser (and small spider footsteps)

From Trinity College Dublin via NPR:

Professor Coleman, Investigator in AMBER and Trinity’s School of Physics along with postdoctoral researcher Conor Boland, discovered that the electrical resistance of putty infused with graphene (“G-putty”) was extremely sensitive to the slightest deformation or impact.

They mounted the G-putty onto the chest and neck of human subjects and used it to measure breathing, pulse and even blood pressure. It showed unprecedented sensitivity as a sensor for strain and pressure, being hundreds of times more sensitive than normal sensors. The G-putty also works as a very sensitive impact sensor, able to detect the footsteps of small spiders. The scientists believe that this material will find applications in a range of medical devices.

Read more, check out the full article in Science, and see more from AMBER Centre on YouTube