Researchers Have Built ‘Smart Tattoos’ That Can Remotely Control Smartphones

A group of researchers from Microsoft Research and the MIT Media Lab have created a temporary smart tattoo that can be used to control phones and computers, turn into a trackpad, store data that can be read by your phone, and turn into a display.

The gold leaf tattoos, called ‘DuoSkins’, come in various jewel-like patterns and can be directly applied to the skin (but don’t worry, it’s skin-friendly). You can stick a DuoSkin tattoo onto yourself just like you would any temporary tattoo: place it on your skin, dampen it with a wet cloth and peel off the paper.

DuoSkin technology can be easily adapted to various designs, such as necklaces, that serve both decorative and functional purposes. The construction process is surprisingly simple, according to Cindy Hsin-Liu Kao, who is part of the research team. As the steps are detailed on the Media Lab’s website, it involves drawing up some stencils using graphic design software, applying gold leaf (which is conductive) to the design, and applying the electronics.

By working to combine form and function in smart tattoos, the researchers are betting that on-skin wearables can blossom into a thriving segment of the wearable and tech-integrated fashion industry. Engadget reports that while numerous research teams are working on temporary smart tattoos, DuoSkin’s simplicity of design and aesthetic appeal set it apart from the pack.

DuoSkin features three types of on-skin interfaces, display, touch input, and wireless communication. Some variants of the tattoo include LED light displays as seen in a photo on the MIT website.

The research paper and technology will be presented at the upcoming International Symposium on Wearables and Computers in September. Unfortunately, there’s no word on when these tattoos will be commercially available, or how much they will cost.