DuoSkin: The Temporary Tattoo Remote Control

DuoSkin trackpad, painted onto the arm. | Source: MIA Media Lab

Users apply metallic patterns to their skin that function as remotes for personal electronics.

The material, made of gold metal leaf, is durable enough to withstand typical human movements. When painted onto the body, the patterns resemble standard user interfaces that are familiar and easy to use.

Three interfacing options are possible:

– Input on the skin using capacitive touch sensing.
– Output on the skin through thermochromatic resistive heating circuitry.
– And wireless communication using NFC technology.

With these simple input-output-communication capabilities, the tattoos can be applied to function as touch sliders, for something like volume control; as trackpads, to mimic those found on laptops; and as NFC tags to communicate with other devices and share data.

DuoSkin NFC tag, used to share data with phones and other devices. | Source: MIT Media Lab

DuoSkin doesn’t come without pitfalls, however. Controls are limited so far and really only offer buttons and sliders. And the tattoos are affected by individual behaviors and physiology. For example, sweat can affect the stability of the tattoo and even deform the appearance of the painted interfaces, effectively ruining the “device.”

With refinement, the tattoos have the potential to replace a lot of devices that are typically used to control personal and home electronics.