The post about the Animated Tattoo yesterday was for April Fools as most people figured out however have a look at this Programmable Tattoo! If you are interested in a bit of a read have a look at the patent.

"For under-the-skin implants, the thinner and more flexible the better. A "nano-skin" polymer film was recently shown by scientists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). This flexible polymer infused with billions of carbon nanotubes is seen as making possible incredibly thin and flexible displays. Nanotubes are excellent electrical conductors and several research organizations are exploring their use in flexible screen displays.

When suspended between the electrically charged grids the ink spheres can be made to display as either white, black or gray. Digital ink uses very low power and displays an image even when the power is turned off. Each sphere is about the diameter of a human hair and contains positively charged white particles and negatively charged black particles suspended in a clear fluid."

Philips is working on something called SKIN:Tattoo, it looks very interesting!

"Tattoos and physical mutilation are amongst the oldest forms of personal expression and identity. Subcultures have used tattoos as a form of self representation; a visual language communicating personality and status. Philips Design examined the growing trend of extreme body adornment like tattoos, piercing, implants and scarring. 

The Electronics Tattoo film expresses the visual power of sensitive technology applied to the human body. The film subtly leads the viewer through the simultaneous emotional and aesthetic transformations between two lovers."

People have been talking about bio feedback games in the past but Rob has actually pulled it off! Have a look at this Pong Game that he built using some bio feedback.  Up and down is controlled by flexing either the left or right arm, to serve both arms are flexed at the same time.

There was a time when NASA Tech Briefs was required reading in every cube farm. Subjects from agriculture to zoology where covered and some times in a light hearted way.

Well now NASA sponsors the “Create the Future Design Contest”. Not only does every entrant get a tee shirt, they can also earn $250 if their entry is one of the most viewed. One of my favorite entries is the WIG (Wireless Impact Guardian).

True it’s a little short on details about the technology but the marketing is solid.

Oh Boy, This is getting really scary. I have not given this much thought, but as I read this article I was hit with a ton of bricks. Pretty soon we will be able to hack ourselves!!!

Liquid polymer neural interface

Here is another one. Guess who could be the rat?

Datajack implant for Rats

Digital processing of rat brain neurons

Are Wiimote hacks a joke compared to what is around the corner? NeuroSky is developing some consumer technology that might lead the way to some intense game control in the near future!

Video after the jump.

“NeuroSky has developed a cost effective bio sensor and signal processing system for the consumer market. Our wearable technology unlocks worlds of new applications such as consumer electronics, health, wellness, education and training.

The neurons that comprise the brain work on electrical impulses. The last century of neurological research has shown us that brainwaves of different wavelengths indicate different emotional states, like a focused awareness, a meditative state, or drowsiness. Brainwaves have been used in medical research and therapy for years. We’re bringing it to the consumer world. ”

Via: Neatorama

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Well I guess I am old fashioned but I don’t want magnets or anything else implanted in my hands right now.

“Body-mod artists Jesse Jarrell and Steve Haworth’s original idea was to implant a magnet to carry metal gadgets. It turns out that doesn’t work: If you try to carry something magnetic on your implant regularly, the pinched skin between the magnets dies and your body rejects the implant. But they came up with a new application when a mutual friend suffered an accident that left a shard of iron in his finger. He worked with audio equipment, and found that he could tell which speakers were magnetized from the sensation that passed through his finger at close range.”

If you are into piercing these new glasses might be for you. Might not be the best for playing sports though, getting hit in the face may open a new world of hurt… “Here’s the step-by-step: * Get pierced - an internally-threaded barbell that goes through the skin above the bridge of your nose * Use a tabletop mill to cut the L-shaped metal pieces that screw onto the barbell * Attach rare earth magnets to the glasses; these hold the glasses on. * Don’t get rid of the bridge pieces; they let the lenses sit on your nose and take the actual weight of the lenses. ”

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