A new wearable sticker-like tool which could allow pregnant women to watch their babies grow in the womb has been developed. The sticker, which was created by engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, can record live continuous images of the inside of the body for up to 48 hours. Currently, the team is working on connecting the sticker’s live image feed to a smartphone app via an AI, according to The Daily Mail.
The sticker could also potentially monitor cancer patients’ tumours, allowing for earlier diagnoses and treatments.
As of now, viewing the inside of one’s body requires getting an ultrasound. However, this method calls for large, expensive equipment, and must be done in a doctor’s office.
Moreover, ultrasounds currently involve gel, which can dry out quickly, meaning doctors cannot analyse organs for a large amount of time.
The new stickers, according to the MIT engineers, will contain gel in an air barrier, allowing for longer usage – up to 48 hours.
According to Professor Xuanhe Zhao, a mechanical engineer at MIT who was a part of the group, this new device has “opened a new era of wearable imaging.”