Feb 20 2008Digital Tattoo Is Conceptual, Questionable

The Digital Tattoo Interface was another entry in the Greener Design Competition that the gravity lamp won second place in. It's an electronic interface embedded under the skin that looks like a tattoo. It's nuts. You could use it as a phone, computer, or traditional tattoo by downloading a picture of a unicorn from the internet. It runs on blood by turning glucose and oxygen into electricity. I don't trust it. Mostly because Jim Mielke, the man responsible for the concept, ends his spiel with "This product is waterproof and powered by pizza." Now get real Jim, who's going to believe that? Everybody who isn't a raving lunatic knows a digital tattoo interface can't run on pizza. Spaghetti-O's maybe, but pizza? You so crazy.
Two more pictures with words after the hop.


Digital Tattoo Interface [core77]
Thanks to Marissa, who chooses not to be a Borg, for the tip

Reader Comments
1. shimmy - February 20, 2008 4:04 PM
It sounds so professional until the very last line!!! hahaha
2. Logo - February 20, 2008 4:14 PM
If it's powered by glucose then technically isn't it powered by pizza (among other things)?
3. Demon - February 20, 2008 4:26 PM
"Hey! No cell phones in class, next time i see it i am keeping it!"
4. matt - February 20, 2008 4:43 PM
FAKE PHOTOSHOPPED!
5. Trisha - February 20, 2008 4:49 PM
I have one of these already implanted in my butt cheek it says:
ENTER
But, only when slapped.
6. joe - February 20, 2008 4:52 PM
oh that sounds great... until 6 months later when version two comes out and you're stuck with goddamn obsolete technology PERMANENTLY
7. guate6 - February 20, 2008 5:11 PM
Sorry to say, but I call fake. The arm muscles are really thick. This cannot be powered by pizza. This cannot be powered by blood. I hope they prove me wrong, but until then, it remains fake. Yes #4, that picture has clearly been shopped. The components are entirely too small to be a fully functioning cell phone. Where's the sim card go? So in essence: neat concept, but fake.
8. prodigalson - February 20, 2008 6:15 PM
of course it's fake! it's conceptual, which means it's a concept, or idea. it hasn't been made yet. it would currently be possible to have it as just a display. you'd need a regular phone or something similar for the more complex electronics. possibly in the shape of a belt buckle, plus you would also need a blue tooth headset for it to work. fortunately there is work being done on molecular machines which would allow ultra slim computers like this to work.
9. lulu - February 20, 2008 6:56 PM
sounds like another cancer causing agent (just like pretty much everything else in this world)
10. matt - February 20, 2008 7:29 PM
Guate6
Obviously i know it is fake, i was being sarcastic.
Wooooooooosh
(PS that was the sound of my sarcasim flying really really fast over your head)
11. guate6 - February 20, 2008 11:42 PM
#10: I was agreeing with you, nothing more.
12. Super Duper! - February 21, 2008 1:16 AM
What if the thing gets damaged? Would it leak heavy metals into your blood? And what if you break your arm? Or it malfunctions? This sounds like one of the worst ideas ever.
13. PB&J - February 21, 2008 1:17 AM
Your tramp stamp is ringing...um, should I answer that for you?
Please.
14. Ollie - February 21, 2008 2:34 AM
Awesome, Trisha, just plain awesome...
15. Linah - February 21, 2008 6:16 AM
how do you answer it ? do you put ur ear to ur arm :s lol
16. Mr. Anderson - February 21, 2008 10:04 AM
I really think that whoever thought of this did not intend the forearms to be used in any strenuous activity. What if you do karate and you smash your forearm to block a kick? Heck what if you just want to condition the forearm by continuously beating on it... hmmmm.....
17. SuckMyComment - February 21, 2008 10:01 PM
ur all thinkin it, im just sayin it, GOVERNMENT MIND CONTROL DEVICE!!! its just like the cybermen on doctor who
18. yammy - February 21, 2008 10:43 PM
ah that was designed and patented long ago...if they did their homework...they would have figured out that Philippe Starck alreayd conquered this one long ago...with a much more beautiful design...now we must also remember that this was even before he became an arbitrary designer that just knew how packaging the experience of Philippe could be profitable and easy...
THIS HAS BE DONE...AND MAY I SAY MUCH BETTER...As a matter of fact...I even did this one...and almost successfully completed it..its too bad the human body doesn't like artifacts placed that close to the skin...it just wants to push them out...and so it did...it was painful..!
19. SlowMonkey - February 22, 2008 7:11 AM
Well that would match my jeans but it would be horribly awkward at a business lunch. Unless my business lunch is with Popeye.
20. shwha - February 22, 2008 12:11 PM
"I have one of these already implanted in my butt cheek it says:
ENTER
But, only when slapped."
trisha, now does that mean enter where-ever one pleases, or just one specific location. i think you should specify, some might be confused.
21. a - February 29, 2008 8:31 PM
Fantastique!!
22. Lloyd - March 2, 2008 3:49 AM
Yes, it's fake, but it's an interesting concept. By the way, "The components are entirely too small to be a fully functioning cell phone. Where's the sim card go?"
You didn't read it completely. It wouldn't be an actual cell phone, it would be an accessory, as they said, a "Bluetooth device". Some PDA's (like the Palm TX) have the ability to use Bluetooth to dial a number on Bluetooth enabled cell phones, same idea.
However, as for it being inplanted, it wouldn't be under the muscle, read it again. It's between the skin and the muscles. Although, I doubt that as well, since skin is even thicker than they realize I suspect. I know this because I implanted an RFID tag under my skin. There's no way to see it visually. Implanting such a device under the skin wouldn't be easy and would require some real surgery, especially to attach the tubes to an artery and a vein. I would like to see this concept made though. I'd consider getting one if it was actually safe to implant.