Interactive Electronic Tattoo

By John Farrier in Body Modifications, Gadgets, Hacks & Mods on Jul 27, 2009 at 8:10 am

It’s not such much a literal tattoo as an electronic interface implanted beneath the skin:

The basis of the 2×4-inch “Digital Tattoo Interface” is a Bluetooth device made of thin, flexible silicon and silicone. It´s inserted through a small incision as a tightly rolled tube, and then it unfurls beneath the skin to align between skin and muscle. Through the same incision, two small tubes on the device are attached to an artery and a vein to allow the blood to flow to a coin-sized blood fuel cell that converts glucose and oxygen to electricity. After blood flows in from the artery to the fuel cell, it flows out again through the vein.

On both the top and bottom surfaces of the display is a matching matrix of field-producing pixels. The top surface also enables touch-screen control through the skin. Instead of ink, the display uses tiny microscopic spheres, somewhat similar to tattoo ink. A field-sensitive material in the spheres changes their color from clear to black, aligned with the matrix fields.

The tattoo display communicates wirelessly to other Bluetooth devices – both in the outside world and within the same body. Although the device is always on (as long as your blood´s flowing), the display can be turned off and on by pushing a small dot on the skin. When the phone rings, for example, an individual turns the display on, and “the tattoo comes to life as a digital video of the caller,” Mielke explains. When the call ends, the tattoo disappears.

Link via Say Uncle


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  1. Briannana
    Jul 27th, 2009 at 8:20 am

    Come now. When posting things like this you really must point to the fact that it’s a concept, not a functioning model. Unless, of course, you are trying to stir people into a frothing frenzy. Me, even if they come out with such an implant, I will never put an electronic communications device inside of me, for several reasons.

    I can almost guarantee that this would have long-term negative impacts on the sympathetic and central nervous system. And, it would be a huge “here I am” stamp” for whoever wanted to find me. Call me crazy, but no thank you.

  2. Ashley
    Jul 27th, 2009 at 9:04 am

    From the article: “Could such an invasive device have harmful biological effects? Actually, the device could offer health benefits. That´s because it also continually monitors for many blood disorders, alerting the person of a health problem.”

    Sounds pretty sweet, although the process of “unfurling” between the skin and muscle sounds very painful. Also I’m pretty paranoid about anything that could be used as Big Brother, and like Briannana said, it could be used to track you down or listen in on your conversations.

  3. mor
    Jul 27th, 2009 at 9:30 am

    i’ll wait until they come out with colored screens ;)

  4. Halvor
    Jul 27th, 2009 at 10:26 am

    Oh, my god!! Want! Mine would always be on and show an animated tattoo! :D

  5. uptonty
    Jul 27th, 2009 at 10:34 am

    I’d be up to volunteering myself for the experiments as long as they would knock me out for the installation. Unfurling under the skin…creeeeepy.

  6. LV
    Jul 27th, 2009 at 10:34 am

    It would seem that the on off could be dealt with. As far as tracking goes, it would be just like any other cell phone.

  7. epromos
    Jul 27th, 2009 at 11:50 am

    This is one of the freakiest things I have ever heard of. I’d feel like way too much of a robot to ever have this done to me.

  8. theDON
    Jul 27th, 2009 at 1:06 pm

    useful or not, you’d still look a proper dickhead with a phone tattooed on your arm

  9. SnappyFish
    Jul 27th, 2009 at 1:49 pm

    “When posting things like this you really must point to the fact that it’s a concept, not a functioning model.” I strongly agree. What’s up Neatorama?

    Clotting and infection are a major risk with this, as they are with all current artificial veins and subcutaneous accesses.

  10. Christophe
    Jul 27th, 2009 at 2:35 pm

    cool ‘comcept’ ;)
    bionic human is a pipe dream

  11. flitter
    Jul 27th, 2009 at 8:59 pm

    Looks like an article more aptly released on April 1.

  12. Video Game Dork
    Jul 28th, 2009 at 3:21 am

    Not a pipedream, but also not ‘here’ right now.

    This would be cool, and I think it’s just a display (no interactivity beyond on/off), so I don’t think you’d dial keypads on your arm.

    I would think it’d be much like a monochrome LCD, so it could be set to display caller ID, other text, the time, and depending on the resolution, animated characters or even mobil-phone quality video.

    I wonder, though… if the device operates off of gluecose and such in the blood, would it be safe for diebetics? Would it have a significant impact on your caloric health? Would it have a waste product?

  13. Money
    Jul 28th, 2009 at 3:45 am

    takes cheating to a whole new level ha ha.

  14. Mr. Kris
    Jul 28th, 2009 at 4:38 am

    Does it come with Caller ID? Can you register your arm on the Do Not Call List? Can you put your arm on Speaker Phone? I have so many questions……

  15. Steelfox
    Jul 28th, 2009 at 11:26 am

    Think of the possibilities! If it’s powered by blood flow you could easily code the phone to call emergency services if the users heart rate went above or below certain thresholds. No need to call someone if you’re having a heart attack, you’re taken care of.

  16. randomhuman
    Jul 28th, 2009 at 3:18 pm

    My first thought is: what can this do that a wafer thin screen strapped outside the skin can’t? And the answer is not a lot really. The fact that it is powered by blood is neat, but there are probably better ways. Also it has the disadvantage of requiring minor surgery every time you want to upgrade.

  17. Talula
    Jul 28th, 2009 at 5:20 pm

    That’s ridiculous. I want ten.

  19. ted
    Jul 30th, 2009 at 6:37 pm

    Anybody can put a cell phone inside themselves today.

    Just clean em when they come out.

  20. michael perry
    Nov 1st, 2010 at 1:18 pm

    it seems like a cool idea but i would rather wait till they have more information on it. i want to see someone with one first and see what i think then.


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