LED Tattoos Could Turn Skin Into Screens (VIDEO)

*See Video Below*
Scientists are researching biodegradable, silicon-silk devices that could be implanted inside the human body for various applications, potentially including the development of "LED tattoo" skin displays.

Unlike the current breed of "rigid" implantable chips (such as the ID tags that can be put into pets), these devices would build a silicon circuits into thin films of silk that would be flexible and could conform to the surface of human tissue.

Wired explains that the implants would eventually melt away in the body:

The silk substrate onto which the chips are mounted eventually dissolve away inside the body, leaving just the electronics behind. The silicon chips are around the length of a small grain of rice -- about one millimeter, and just 250 nanometers thick, and the sheet of silk will keep them in place, moulding to the shape of the skin when saline is added.

So what might be the applications for this technology?

According to Wired, "these tattoos could carry LEDs, turning the wearer's skin into a screen."

H+ magazine imagines,

You could show off your latest Flash animations, watch TV on your arm, or have a built-in PDA screen.

MIT's Technology Review also notes,

The group is developing silk-silicon LEDs that might act as photonic tattoos that can show blood-sugar readings, as well as arrays of conformable electrodes that might interface with the nervous system.

Electronics-maker Philips has conceived of more sensual, personal uses for the devices:

Stimulated by touch, an Electronic Tattoo traverses across the landscape of the body, navigated by desire.

See what they've imagined in the video below.

What do you think about these LED tattoos: gross or great? Tell us below.

Read more about the minds behind the research at the Technology Review here.

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Comments

[ellie rubyblue]

11:49 PM on 01/12/2010

although the video is really strange, I think the LED tattoos are a great idea(as long as they didn't malfunctio­n). The complaint I hear the most about tattoos is that they are permanent and often regretted. With this, that would be no problem because if you didn't like your tattoo, you could change it, probably by using an applicatio­n on your computer. You could also turn it off if you didn't feel like having tattoos that day or, as Helmandsar­e suggested, use it for more practical things like getting a tan or a skintight watch. The only other thing I'm wondering about these is how it would decide on a design when touched, would there be different styles of design or what?

[the evil zargos]

01:30 PM on 12/28/2009

my one deep regret is getting tatooed. They are ok when you are 19.......H­owever I plan on getting more!!
(go figure)

[uglygnome]

04:12 PM on 01/11/2010

Huh?

[punknoir]

10:24 PM on 11/22/2009

The word I'm looking for...let'­s see.....po­intless. Yeah. Pointless. It was also curious to notice that the fabulously pointless designs are out of view of both the man and woman in the video. That would make it not only pointless, but REALLY pointless.

[billhodges]

03:24 PM on 11/22/2009

That looks like it could be fun:-))

[Dr Jimmy and Mr Jim]

10:02 PM on 11/21/2009

Now that's just silly.

[hypnotoad72]

04:20 PM on 11/21/2009

Not sure on the LED special effects, but soft porn ain't my thing...

[StephBr]

02:12 PM on 12/22/2009

Really? That was porn?

[prthatrocks]

03:58 PM on 11/21/2009

Those sound effects are just gross... can you image sleeping next to someone who's shifting images in the middle of the night when you're trying to sleep... gimme a break. Tattoos are cool, as long as they're on someone else... I am sticking with the Mood Ring I have left over from 1976... not that's a technology destined for a comeback..­.

[SonofLiberty1]

03:43 PM on 11/21/2009

Trashy...

[scottbalogh]

11:08 AM on 11/21/2009

This could be the most important technologi­cal advancemen­t ever. And so attractive­, too. I am very proud of the human intelligen­ce and what it has given the world.

[audadvnc]

09:06 AM on 11/21/2009

Cool. I'll get my girlfriend to put one on her back - then I can boff her and watch the game at the same time! Now, if only she'd wear a little harness to hold my beers...

[Scalawag]

10:06 AM on 11/21/2009

Wide screen?

[smilodon1]

11:43 AM on 11/21/2009

Depends on where the tattoo is.

[Ato Essandoh]

08:03 AM on 11/21/2009

The video is scary but... How cool would it be to have physiologi­cal readings like heart rate, a blood-pres­sure, cholestero­l, body temp, fat%, weight, hydration etc? How about something that could let you know when your immune system is revving up to fight a virus or pathogenic bacteria? As long as you could turn it on and off... It could even interface with WedMD or something for actions to take should you need... Cool!

[LazyLearner]

06:01 AM on 11/21/2009

Cool, we will be able to turn into Rorschach from the watchmen!

And because it is Philips, in a year or two we will be able to turn into Dr. Manhattan and his nice blue glow (or the other 256 colors available)

[BlackYowe]

04:11 AM on 11/21/2009

They need sun and something to eat. The video is creepy!

[frankcaprafan]

12:52 AM on 11/21/2009

They need sun, not tattoos.

[hypnotoad72]

04:22 PM on 11/21/2009

Yeah. And in positions like that, they'd be arrested for indecent behavior in the park...

/ducksforc­over

[StephBr]

02:14 PM on 12/22/2009

You have problems

[mark12345]

12:28 AM on 11/21/2009

This whole tattoo fad is rather disgusting phony and cheap .The first thing I ask a tat wearer is what does it mean…some say “tribal” and I ask what tribe do they belong.And almost to the man/woman they have all answered “jus tribal” Ok, here’s what a tribal tattoo means to a Pacific Islander. It means that he has traveled about 1500 miles across open ocean…alon­e. And were that not enough initiation­, the tattooing process actually results in the death of many of the initiates. And those yakuzu marking and rank identifies maybe the most ruthless thugs in the world. Men who would pimp their own mothers in a snuff flick.