Posted on 02/21/2008 11:32:04 AM PST by Red Badger
The tattoo display: "Waterproof and powered by pizza."
Jim Mielke's wireless blood-fueled display is a true merging of technology and body art. At the recent Greener Gadgets Design Competition, the engineer demonstrated a subcutaneously implanted touch-screen that operates as a cell phone display, with the potential for 3G video calls that are visible just underneath the skin.
The basis of the 2x4-inch "Digital Tattoo Interface" is a Bluetooth device made of thin, flexible silicon and silicone. It´s inserted through a small incision as a tightly rolled tube, and then it unfurls beneath the skin to align between skin and muscle. Through the same incision, two small tubes on the device are attached to an artery and a vein to allow the blood to flow to a coin-sized blood fuel cell that converts glucose and oxygen to electricity. After blood flows in from the artery to the fuel cell, it flows out again through the vein.
On both the top and bottom surfaces of the display is a matching matrix of field-producing pixels. The top surface also enables touch-screen control through the skin. Instead of ink, the display uses tiny microscopic spheres, somewhat similar to tattoo ink. A field-sensitive material in the spheres changes their color from clear to black, aligned with the matrix fields.
The tattoo display communicates wirelessly to other Bluetooth devices - both in the outside world and within the same body. Although the device is always on (as long as your blood´s flowing), the display can be turned off and on by pushing a small dot on the skin. When the phone rings, for example, an individual turns the display on, and "the tattoo comes to life as a digital video of the caller," Mielke explains. When the call ends, the tattoo disappears.
Could such an invasive device have harmful biological effects? Actually, the device could offer health benefits. That´s because it also continually monitors for many blood disorders, alerting the person of a health problem.
The tattoo display is still just a concept, with no word on plans for commercialization.
How are you going to get that past Customs?
I don’t think FDA clearance is required for this........
The same technology can be applied to diabetics! Think of the possibilities...a monitoring device that shows your glucose, cholesterol levels, etc.
I’ve got an implanted pulse generator (it trips up the pain signals to the brain). It’s based on pacemaker technology, but we’re not too far from insulin implants for diabetics. That would go a LONG way to improving their health.
The application here may be a bit weird, but it could be used in a lot of fantastic ways.
It would slow things down. You'd have to ask to be wanded; I can't go through the metal detectors -- I tried it once and it took more time than if I'd just asked to be screened with the wand. You just make the screener aware you have an implant, tell them where it is and they're pretty good about it.
What are you talkin' 'bout, Copper Top?
rofl! good one
“But officer I HAD to have her blood, this was an IMPORTANT cell phone call...”
Interesting if it is real and not just a concept.
Imagine a MANDATORY implant to detect adulteration of the body. (athleats, people on drug programs, POLICE OFFICERS, or even automobile drivers)
it would be ideal for dosing with all sorts of drugs and hormones.
HGH is apparently secreted by the pituitary in several pulses over the course of the day. Doing it that way artificially would be so much more efficient and avoid side-effects.
Same with insulin. If the insulin dosing is identical in precision and amount to the natural method does that mean that type 1 diabetics would be just as healthy as normal people?
you always can take red pill.
It’s both cool and revolting!!!!!! (actually I think disturbing would be a little more accurate...)
But the information leaflet is already available
It's the iMe.
So......I don’t have to tape a centerfold over my headboard anymore?
No, just get your wife or girlfriend one of these for her forehead.......
Ping.
Cool... So many possibilities for this technology.
Sign on forehead:
THIS SPACE FOR RENT
That’s really cool. Actually, lots of really interesting applications.
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