Scientists create 'intelligent tattoo' to detect skin cancer before it appears

Researchers in Canada have developed a system called SMEAR-ULM that can detect skin cancer at an early stage by measuring tiny temperature changes at the surface of the skin. The system uses a patch of painless microneedles that deposits specialised nanoparticles just beneath the skin. These nanoparticles form a temporary 'intelligent tattoo' that acts like an array of microscopic thermometers.