SCIENTISTS

in Japan have developed a tiny, solar-powered heart monitor that can be taped to your finger. It consists of a sensor in a flexible solar cell that’s attached to the skin using a clear, plaster-like material.

Researchers at the University of Tokyo used it to measure the heartbeats of rats and humans under bright light conditions (10,000 lux, similar to the light in the shade on a sunny day).

They said it was a step forward in the quest to make self-powered medical monitors that can provide real-time updates of a patient’s health.