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How LED Tattoos Could Change The Face of Humanity

wired.com — New LED tattoos from the University of Pennsylvania could make the Illustrated Man real (minus the creepy stories, of course). Researchers there are developing silk and silicon implantable devices which sit under the skin like a tattoo. Already implanted into mice, these tattoos could carry LEDs, turning the wearer’s skin into a screen.

Who dugg this? Made popular Nov 21, 2009

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  • thinkforaminute, on 11/20/2009, -1/+337I don't think the Philips video could have made this idea any creepier.
  • 64705, on 11/20/2009, -0/+256It might be cool to have a digital clock tattooed onto your wrist, but seemingly unnecessary.
  • DaviDTC, on 11/21/2009, -2/+229$100 to the first person to get a Rorschach tattoo.
  • iruber1337, on 11/21/2009, -3/+165So Tom is that BSoD stuck there for the rest of your life?
    "...sigh, yes."
  • CTK14A, on 11/21/2009, -1/+161Tug your left ear for the minute hand, right nipple for the hour. You'll be pleasantly surprised when you learn how to crank the alarm.
  • JDLamb88, on 11/21/2009, -2/+134The only way this will change the face of humanity is if someone gets one on their face.
  • HAL90000, on 11/21/2009, -3/+119You just blew my mind.
  • darthjure, on 11/21/2009, -1/+115Those sound effects did not help things.
  • HAL90000, on 11/21/2009, -4/+92@CTK14A

    You just blew my load.
  • diggerado, on 11/20/2009, -3/+78I guess those articles about people selling addspace on their arms or forehead are going to get very interesting now. On the other hand, talk about chameleon soldiers!!
  • ChromaVita, on 11/21/2009, -2/+73I'd get a Digg counter on my dick, but then I'd never make the front page :(
  • vspazv, on 11/21/2009, -1/+64I can see these going over well with college girls. Switchable tramp stamps!
  • ZonGuy, on 11/21/2009, -0/+55That was ***** weird and unnecessary.
  • Sirlolalot, on 11/21/2009, -1/+52I wonder how long till someone gets their skin Rick-rolled?
  • thebreach, on 11/21/2009, -6/+46That would be so incredibly obnoxious.

    Imagine every douche on the planet sporting a glowing tattoo everywhere you look. Glowing tramp stamps. Especially the tools that rent out ad space on their own body with a corporate tattoo.

    I can see this useful for medical implants though.
  • cfuse, on 11/21/2009, -1/+39Yes, but having built in biometrics is the killer application. Imagine being a diabetic that can simply look at their tattoo to see their insulin levels.
  • cfuse, on 11/21/2009, -1/+39Wouldn't an uptime display be more useful?
  • Sil369, on 11/21/2009, -9/+45i want a LED tattoo of a beating heart over my heart

    i want a LED tattoo of a DIGG counter on my....i dunno, back, so whoever taps my shoulder, it goes up a number! Digg me!
  • lewlew20, on 11/21/2009, -1/+37Wow 250 nanometers thick. That is amazing. I'm pretty sure they will use this same technology for contact lens or retina implants that will give a visual overlay.
  • the2989, on 11/21/2009, -2/+37I want an LCD tattoo w/satellite receiver in my head so I can watch TV on myself.
  • Sil369, on 11/21/2009, -2/+33Yo dawg...

    etc etc
  • Scipio, on 11/20/2009, -4/+33I want one ASAP.
  • syntaxgs, on 11/21/2009, -25/+53BUT rember it not a gOood itea too have led in you,re skin becosue it make PoiSon think china Toy
  • danielttt, on 11/21/2009, -4/+30Living teletubbies...wow.
  • CTK14A, on 11/21/2009, -1/+27"There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in their home." -Kenneth Olsen, president and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977
  • MindTrigger, on 11/21/2009, -2/+25Great... more douchebag 'tribal' tats, only now they will glow.
  • flossdaily, on 11/21/2009, -1/+21seriously, whoever made this video needs to be fired. and whoever okay'ed this video needs to be fired.

    If I were upper management at this company I'd personally stroll down to the marketing department and fire anyone even remotely involved in releasing this.
  • RandomGorilla, on 11/21/2009, -1/+21Oh I'm sure they'll be really popular for a little while until someone figures out how to hack them and suddenly the place on your chest that was featuring a giant eagle clutching a crucifix has now become a showcase for gay porn. "Illustrated Man" indeed.
  • tensaibaka, on 11/21/2009, -2/+20What are you gonna do when you need to sync your watch, or for daylight savings time?
  • CTK14A, on 11/21/2009, -2/+19How about a digital interface plugged into a wifi network? Read maps, watch digital messages, check your email... all from your forearm. Get on it, DARPA.
  • m0n0kr0m3, on 11/21/2009, -1/+18It's the mark of the beast!

    /s
  • MattQC, on 11/21/2009, -0/+16http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/07/01/casino_tat ...

    http://images.devshed.com/wh/stories/hcsumt/image0 ...

  • Dan050, on 11/21/2009, -2/+18Haha people will be saying.. 'I got the beta release cos I couldn't wait any longer.. Biggest mistake of my life!'
  • Dan050, on 11/21/2009, -0/+14Agreed.. do you really wana have sex while hearing sounds of your partner breaking in two, as if they were made of ice? No thanks.
  • jamshid, on 11/21/2009, -1/+14Embedded systems, indeed.

    "Your cholesterol monitor is reporting an increase this month, here are a few words from Merck Pharmaceuticals..."

    Hope we'll be able to jailbreak these devices and skip ads.
  • 8300dvo, on 11/21/2009, -2/+14ahaha, i don't think these commenter's know who you are.
  • mrgreenjeans, on 11/21/2009, -1/+12Not as exciting as dead Teletubbies
  • OptionalPirate, on 11/21/2009, -0/+11What was stopping you before?
  • Charlesbian, on 11/21/2009, -0/+10what if i just save my entire face and use the tatto to alter my appearance with staches, beards, and shading to create hollow cheeks and wrinkles? Without face recognition cameras I'll be an unstoppable criminal!

    and if there are face recognition cameras, well, i'll just wait for the inflatable face implants that come later
  • SharMarali, on 11/21/2009, -0/+10This will sure make cheating on tests a lot easier for future generations of students.
  • atchon, on 11/21/2009, -1/+10I hope that was sarcasm, or you have never seen a digital clock, otherwise you may take the award for dumbest comment I have read recently.
  • Fr0stbyte124, on 11/21/2009, -0/+10Buried for not hiding your power level.
  • flossdaily, on 11/21/2009, -0/+9wow... who pissed in your coffee today?
  • ka0tic, on 11/21/2009, -0/+9I do and no I don't know what you mean. Totally unrelated.
  • diggmeordie, on 11/21/2009, -0/+9The touchscreen interface should be a hit at the bar with the ladies.
  • pixelguru, on 11/21/2009, -0/+9Excerpt from the future:

    Billy: MOM, JOHNNY JUST HACKED MY WRIST AND MADE IT SAY BOOGER!!!

    Mom: Johnny, what did we say about hacking into your brother's implants?

  • SonicRush, on 11/21/2009, -0/+8Because they can turn them on only in certain situations, and don't have to stare at them at home, by themselves, etc.
  • MixMastaKooz, on 11/21/2009, -0/+8It sounded like a glacier's ice cracking...
  • flossdaily, on 11/21/2009, -1/+8growing tramp stamps would be scary. you'd take home a nice clean girl, and halfway through a little doggy style, a tramp stamp appears out of nowhere... and you'd be like, "damn, now I have hepatitis"
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