Imagine getting things done with a touch on your skin. Cool, right? How cool it would be to control your gadgets without picking them up? Likewise, imagine that touching a tattoo can do several things like these. Sounds cool but weird at the same time. But what if it’s going to be real in a few years? Yes, Microsoft Research and MIT’s Media Lab are working together on a wearable tech called ‘smart tattoos’. They are promising smart tattoos with things beyond our thinking.
Read on to know more about this amazing tech!
What is a smart tattoo?
A Smart tattoo is also called epidermal electronic systems but that sounds less cool. They are personalized circuits, adhesives, and conductors that can be glued onto the skin. They can send signals via touch, and allow the users to interact with the tech devices. These tattoos can also be used to monitor vitals and detect changes in the body. It is a personalized and health tech wearable trend. Unlike regular ones, these tattoos would be temporary on the skin. These can also be embossed on the fabric. Also, they’d be cheap than other hardware techs.
Smart tattoos dangerous or not?
Well, it’s simply impossible to invent anything that’s completely safe for people. Especially when it comes to their skins. Skin is the most sensitive part of our body. The Tech world also can’t take any risk on that. Microsoft Research has originally started a project with MIT’S media lab named as DuoSkin. The tattoos have to be bio-compatible. MIT’s Media Lab came up with the idea of patterning gold leaves onto adhesives and sticking them to the skin. People face issues related to the skin like skin allergies. However, they will ask people before making a tattoo if they have any skin problems. Also, that’s not where challenges end. The most basic issue is regenerated skin. Moreover, the human body sweats a lot. This is going to be a problem for smart tattoos that won’t stay on the skin for so long. Our skin moves in different dimensions, old people have more sensitive and wrinkled skin. The list of challenges goes on and on. But here’s the thing, these tattoos are more for fashion trends as well. So, let’s see where this trend will take us.
Smart tattoos or health tech?
Harvard and MIT’s Media Lab have developed smart tattoos that are capable of monitoring health. Smart tattoos are not only personalized and fashion trends but also for health tech. These tattoos are capable of detecting changes in the body. These tattoos track vitals. A person can detect disease with a change of color of the tattoo. It can be low blood sugar, dehydration, or diabetes. They came up with the idea to incorporate bio-sensors in the skin. It’s quite interesting and helpful to find out about your disease via tattoos. Also, it looks aesthetically appealing as well. The smart tattoo on the skin serves as a touchpad of other devices.
What’s coming now?
Technology is evolving now. Every year we find out phenomenal inventions. Right now, people are more focusing on wearable tech trends. Normal tattoos are significantly in demand. It would be cool to see upcoming smart tattoos with incredible benefits. Smart tattoos could be personalized health tech or a fashion trend. It will stand in the unique trends ever. The researchers are working, testing, and refining the new smart tattoo pattern. We are hoping to see this trend soon in the upcoming years. Also, a gold metal leaf isn’t a bad idea.
