Smart Fabrics with Bioactive Inks Monitor the Body by Changing Color

Biomaterial-based inks have been developed that respond to chemicals released from the body (e.g. in sweat) by changing color. The inks can be screenprinted onto textiles such as clothes, shoes, or even face masks in complex patterns and at high resolution, providing a detailed map of human response or exposure. The technology could simultaneously detect and quantify a wide range of biological conditions, molecules, and possibly pathogens over the surface of the body using conventional garments and uniforms.