A black-and-white photo of a person mid-air in a Superman-style body suspension pose, supported by multiple hooks in their back and legs, smiling joyfully toward the camera. They are suspended horizontally in a large indoor space with high ceilings and visible rigging. A group of onlookers—some seated, some standing—watch with expressions of admiration, amusement, and support. The atmosphere is lively and communal, capturing a moment of shared experience and transformation.

Who needs an iTouch when your body can do the same job?

I think it’s safe to say the following story can be filed under the “That’s so freaking cool” category.

It seems a design firm has started to make headway into what can best be described as interactive tattoos.  The theory behind the tech is that the electronics are printed onto a person’s skin (in the form of a tattoo design) and the body’s energy fuels the devices so that you can essentially turn your body into an interactive computer.  No need for a cell phone when you can tap your arm and it will make the phone call for you.

frog-dattoos1

The DNA Tattoo, or Dattoo, could include printable input/output tools such as a camera, microphone, or laser-loudspeaker – it would be up to the user, as would the Dattoo’s aesthetics. Most intriguingly, it would capture its wearer’s DNA, to ensure an intimate user/machine relationship.  This meant that the body itself would need to become the interface, and would supply the required energy. Because Dattoos would largely replace three-dimensional tools such as smart phones or laptops, the environment would be spared the costs of producing, transporting and disposing of those items.

Despite evoking creepy Matrix-like images of permanent implants, Dattoos would actually be temporary and minimally-invasive. They could even be applied to clothing or other objects, instead of the skin. At the end of the day, they would simply be washed off. The next day, depending on what the user planned to do, they could order up and apply a new one.

The long term goal of the project is to be able to incorporate LED screens into the designs so that your body will completely replace your cell phone and laptop.

I have a bit of mixed feelings on this one.  While on one hand this looks really cool in theory, in practice, I’d be a little scared to be linked to a computer through my DNA when SkyNet goes live and judgement day hits.

What about you?  Would you be willing to use a stick-on tattoo design computer if it meant you could replace all your portable technology?

Comments

87 responses to “Who needs an iTouch when your body can do the same job?”

  1. Anya Avatar
    Anya

    Wrist laser, that’s awesome.

  2. johnvon Avatar
    johnvon

    Fuck yes!!! One step closer to actually becoming a robot. I’ll be the first in line for this thing

  3. johnvon Avatar
    johnvon

    Fuck yes!!! One step closer to actually becoming a robot. I’ll be the first in line for this thing

  4. johnvon Avatar
    johnvon

    Fuck yes!!! One step closer to actually becoming a robot. I’ll be the first in line for this thing

  5. chokehold Avatar

    Theres a reason we have cellphones and computers and that’s because the skin is just not capable of this. This is a joke.

  6. chokehold Avatar

    Theres a reason we have cellphones and computers and that’s because the skin is just not capable of this. This is a joke.

  7. chokehold Avatar

    Theres a reason we have cellphones and computers and that’s because the skin is just not capable of this. This is a joke.

  8. chokehold Avatar

    @MissCherry Getting tattooed in the first place is a good way to help the government keep better tabs on you… oooooooooo didn’t think about that, didya.

  9. chokehold Avatar

    @MissCherry Getting tattooed in the first place is a good way to help the government keep better tabs on you… oooooooooo didn’t think about that, didya.

  10. chokehold Avatar

    @MissCherry Getting tattooed in the first place is a good way to help the government keep better tabs on you… oooooooooo didn’t think about that, didya.

  11. Andrae McKrazy McRae Avatar

    I would do that in a heartbeat!

  12. Andrae McKrazy McRae Avatar

    I would do that in a heartbeat!

  13. Andrae McKrazy McRae Avatar

    I would do that in a heartbeat!

  14. baracudaboy Avatar
    baracudaboy

    Oh I’ll be right at the head of the line when technology allows us to have cybernetic parts and the like.
    I’ve never had any of those paranoid fears about big brother spying on me with it or anything.

    all he’d see me doing is getting high and playing video games all day. haha..

  15. baracudaboy Avatar
    baracudaboy

    Oh I’ll be right at the head of the line when technology allows us to have cybernetic parts and the like.
    I’ve never had any of those paranoid fears about big brother spying on me with it or anything.

    all he’d see me doing is getting high and playing video games all day. haha..

  16. baracudaboy Avatar
    baracudaboy

    Oh I’ll be right at the head of the line when technology allows us to have cybernetic parts and the like.
    I’ve never had any of those paranoid fears about big brother spying on me with it or anything.

    all he’d see me doing is getting high and playing video games all day. haha..

  17. VOMIT Avatar

    I think this is creepy, and a bad idea in so many many ways. I would NEVER want it. I’d like to stay fully human thank you very much.

  18. VOMIT Avatar

    I think this is creepy, and a bad idea in so many many ways. I would NEVER want it. I’d like to stay fully human thank you very much.

  19. VOMIT Avatar

    I think this is creepy, and a bad idea in so many many ways. I would NEVER want it. I’d like to stay fully human thank you very much.

  20. Kristen Avatar
    Kristen

    I get tired enough already all on my own. The last thing I need is some high tech gadget drawing on MY energy.

    Also, I think it’s very strange that they state that this would reduce waste and then go on to say that you have to throw out the dattoo at the end of the day and use a new one the next day, every day. I only go through 1 cell phone every 4 years, but I would go through 1461 dattoos. Waste much?

  21. Kristen Avatar
    Kristen

    I get tired enough already all on my own. The last thing I need is some high tech gadget drawing on MY energy.

    Also, I think it’s very strange that they state that this would reduce waste and then go on to say that you have to throw out the dattoo at the end of the day and use a new one the next day, every day. I only go through 1 cell phone every 4 years, but I would go through 1461 dattoos. Waste much?

  22. Kristen Avatar
    Kristen

    I get tired enough already all on my own. The last thing I need is some high tech gadget drawing on MY energy.

    Also, I think it’s very strange that they state that this would reduce waste and then go on to say that you have to throw out the dattoo at the end of the day and use a new one the next day, every day. I only go through 1 cell phone every 4 years, but I would go through 1461 dattoos. Waste much?

  23. Kristen Avatar
    Kristen

    I get tired enough already all on my own. The last thing I need is some high tech gadget drawing on MY energy.

    Also, I find it very odd that they say the dattoo would reduce waste, and then go on the say you would throw out your dattoo at the end of the day and use a new one the next day, every day. I only go through 1 cell phone every 4 years, but I would go through 1461 dattoos. Waste much?

  24. Kristen Avatar
    Kristen

    I get tired enough already all on my own. The last thing I need is some high tech gadget drawing on MY energy.

    Also, I find it very odd that they say the dattoo would reduce waste, and then go on the say you would throw out your dattoo at the end of the day and use a new one the next day, every day. I only go through 1 cell phone every 4 years, but I would go through 1461 dattoos. Waste much?

  25. Kristen Avatar
    Kristen

    I get tired enough already all on my own. The last thing I need is some high tech gadget drawing on MY energy.

    Also, I find it very odd that they say the dattoo would reduce waste, and then go on the say you would throw out your dattoo at the end of the day and use a new one the next day, every day. I only go through 1 cell phone every 4 years, but I would go through 1461 dattoos. Waste much?

  26. Kristen Avatar
    Kristen

    oops, sorry for double post. my computer is doing weird things right now o_0

  27. Kristen Avatar
    Kristen

    oops, sorry for double post. my computer is doing weird things right now o_0

  28. Kristen Avatar
    Kristen

    oops, sorry for double post. my computer is doing weird things right now o_0

  29. Trippin Avatar
    Trippin

    Keep in mind everyone that is posting : they are *not* talking about implanting a bunch of cybernetic doo-dads. Frankly, I’m not even sure why its called a tattoo because of what people are familiar with as a tattoo. What they are talking about is essentially an incredibly thin system applied over the body, its minimally invasive, and *washes off* one way or another. Its a hell of a lot more complex, naturally, but think of it more akin to a temporary tattoo you see kids running around with, or the spray on tattoo’s popular at festivals.

    Similarly its pretty hard to state that it running on your body’s energy is going to be an issue – its exactly like we have a reserve thats being taxed – your not going to feel more energetic for example if you were to receive full body laser hair removal/electrolysis, despite this likely reducing the overall drain on your body due to hair cells no longer drawing it.

    Chokehold: How.. Is it “not capable”? Like I said, its questionable on whether or not its practical, but they have a hell of a lot of time to prove and adapt such things (often first releases will be just proving that the technology can be done, and than will be picked up by many more companies to do many more fantastic things). However.. That statement doesn’t necessarily work, as it assumes that we could of done such a thing before if it was possible. The first computers were the size of warehouses, cellphones used to be practically the size of my forearm – now we can and do measure them in millimeters thick using touch screens that were previously relegated to science fiction. Something like this requires that we can reproduce such features on an incredibly small level.

  30. Trippin Avatar
    Trippin

    Keep in mind everyone that is posting : they are *not* talking about implanting a bunch of cybernetic doo-dads. Frankly, I’m not even sure why its called a tattoo because of what people are familiar with as a tattoo. What they are talking about is essentially an incredibly thin system applied over the body, its minimally invasive, and *washes off* one way or another. Its a hell of a lot more complex, naturally, but think of it more akin to a temporary tattoo you see kids running around with, or the spray on tattoo’s popular at festivals.

    Similarly its pretty hard to state that it running on your body’s energy is going to be an issue – its exactly like we have a reserve thats being taxed – your not going to feel more energetic for example if you were to receive full body laser hair removal/electrolysis, despite this likely reducing the overall drain on your body due to hair cells no longer drawing it.

    Chokehold: How.. Is it “not capable”? Like I said, its questionable on whether or not its practical, but they have a hell of a lot of time to prove and adapt such things (often first releases will be just proving that the technology can be done, and than will be picked up by many more companies to do many more fantastic things). However.. That statement doesn’t necessarily work, as it assumes that we could of done such a thing before if it was possible. The first computers were the size of warehouses, cellphones used to be practically the size of my forearm – now we can and do measure them in millimeters thick using touch screens that were previously relegated to science fiction. Something like this requires that we can reproduce such features on an incredibly small level.

  31. Trippin Avatar
    Trippin

    Keep in mind everyone that is posting : they are *not* talking about implanting a bunch of cybernetic doo-dads. Frankly, I’m not even sure why its called a tattoo because of what people are familiar with as a tattoo. What they are talking about is essentially an incredibly thin system applied over the body, its minimally invasive, and *washes off* one way or another. Its a hell of a lot more complex, naturally, but think of it more akin to a temporary tattoo you see kids running around with, or the spray on tattoo’s popular at festivals.

    Similarly its pretty hard to state that it running on your body’s energy is going to be an issue – its exactly like we have a reserve thats being taxed – your not going to feel more energetic for example if you were to receive full body laser hair removal/electrolysis, despite this likely reducing the overall drain on your body due to hair cells no longer drawing it.

    Chokehold: How.. Is it “not capable”? Like I said, its questionable on whether or not its practical, but they have a hell of a lot of time to prove and adapt such things (often first releases will be just proving that the technology can be done, and than will be picked up by many more companies to do many more fantastic things). However.. That statement doesn’t necessarily work, as it assumes that we could of done such a thing before if it was possible. The first computers were the size of warehouses, cellphones used to be practically the size of my forearm – now we can and do measure them in millimeters thick using touch screens that were previously relegated to science fiction. Something like this requires that we can reproduce such features on an incredibly small level.

  32. spud Avatar
    spud

    You know, I feel that one day this could be used as a means of control. Technology is a scary thing sometimes…

  33. spud Avatar
    spud

    You know, I feel that one day this could be used as a means of control. Technology is a scary thing sometimes…

  34. spud Avatar
    spud

    You know, I feel that one day this could be used as a means of control. Technology is a scary thing sometimes…

  35. Puck Avatar
    Puck

    Didn’t Phillips develop a similar concept, an LED tattoo, supposed to be activated by touch?
    Not sure if that even possible but it seems far more interesting for me.

  36. Puck Avatar
    Puck

    Didn’t Phillips develop a similar concept, an LED tattoo, supposed to be activated by touch?
    Not sure if that even possible but it seems far more interesting for me.

  37. Puck Avatar
    Puck

    Didn’t Phillips develop a similar concept, an LED tattoo, supposed to be activated by touch?
    Not sure if that even possible but it seems far more interesting for me.

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