International. Researchers at Australia's RMIT University have developed an active ultraviolet (UV) ink that changes color when exposed to different types of UV rays and can be printed and used as a single-use disposable wristband.
A personal struggle with vitamin D deficiency led Professor Vipul Bansal to develop color change sensors that come in six variations to reflect range in human skin tone. Bansal said the discovery could help provide people with an accurate and simple measure of their personal exposure levels throughout the day.
"We can print our ink on any paper-like surface to produce cheap wearable sensors in the form of wristbands, headbands or decals, for example," he said.
Excessive sun exposure causes skin problems
While humans need some sun exposure to maintain healthy vitamin D levels, excessive exposure can cause sunburn, skin cancer, blindness, skin wrinkles, and premature signs of aging. Knowing what a healthy amount is for you depends on understanding your personal classification, from Type I to VI, as each has very different sun exposure needs.
Diseases such as lupus and many medications increase the photosensitivity of our skin and reduce our ability to absorb vitamins through diet, making monitoring our sun exposure thresholds highly individual.
Bansal said: "We are excited that our UV sensor technology will enable the production of custom sensors that can be tailored to the specific needs of a particular individual. The low cost and child-friendly design of these UV sensors will facilitate their use as educational material to raise awareness about sun protection."
Currently, the only guide to controlling sun exposure is the UV index, however, this blunt tool only indicates the intensity of UV rays. It does not act as an accurate tool to monitor each individual's daily exposure.
Light skin (Type I) can only tolerate one-fifth of UV exposure than dark skin (Type VI) before damage occurs, while darker types require more time in the sun to absorb healthy amounts of vitamin D.
The discovery also has an application beyond the healthcare sector, as over time UV rays can have detrimental effects on the shelf life of many industrial and consumer products. Monitoring this exposure could help improve the safety and reliability of a variety of items, including military vehicles and equipment, with huge potential cost savings.
Source: RMIT.
