Austin, Texas - Head tattoos are usually a last frontier reserved for true ink addicts, but they could help make it a whole lot easier to record someone's brain activity.

Scientists at the University of Texas at Austin have found an innovative way to avoid some of the worst parts of an electroencephalography (EEG), which is used to measure the electrical activity in the brain and diagnose disorders such as epilepsy.

The procedure normally involves applying electrodes to a patient's scalp. With the help of a gel, they detect and transmit the brain's impulses.

This classic method has some drawbacks. Technicians need to carefully measure a person's scalp – a time-consuming process – while the gel stops conducting the electrical impulses once it dries. Many people also find the whole process quite uncomfortable.

The solution? Temporary scalp tattoos! That's what Nanshu Lu and her team at UT Austin put forward in a new research paper.

First, a 3D scan of the patient's head takes care of the personalized design. Then, a printer attached to a robotic arm applies a special, extra-conducive ink to the scalp, replacing those unwieldy electrodes and wires that are part of an EEG.

"The on scalp printing only works on bald head or buzz cut hairs right now," Lu clarified on X.

"Any ideas to cope with long or curly hairs are welcome."