Duoskin, the tattoo that can control your electronic devices

A group of students from MIT Media Lab have teamed up with Microsoft Research to develop interactive and customizable on-skin electronics equipped with an NFC chip for transferring information to a mobile device. As well as wireless communication, the DuoSkin devices will allow the wearer to make touch inputs – such as controlling a music player – with a stroke of the finger, the researchers explain.

„DuoSkin is a fabrication process that enables anyone to create customized functional devices that can be attached directly on their skin. Using gold metal leaf, a material that is cheap, skin-friendly, and robust for everyday wear, we demonstrate three types of on-skin interfaces: sensing touch input, displaying output, and wireless communication. DuoSkin devices enable users to control their mobile devices, display information, and store information on their skin while serving as a statement of personal style.”, they say.

DuoSkin devices communicate using NFC, whose tags comprise a chip that connects to a coil.

A video shows the technology in action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV0UOfbsDXo&width=500&height=350

“We believe that, in the future, on-skin electronics will no longer be black-boxed and mystified,” the researchers conclude. “Instead, they will converge towards the user friendliness, extensibility and aesthetics of body decorations, forming a DuoSkin integrated to the extent that it has seemingly disappeared.”