It’s 2008, which means we’re all living in the future, and so far the future is a big disappointment. No domed cities on the moon, no flying cars, and even the death rays are still pretty damn crude. Nevertheless, a few seriously sci-fi products are beginning to roll out of the lab. William Gibson fans will be pleased to hear that high-tech digital tattoos are one step closer to reality. The latest, creepy/interesting version of this concept was unveiled this month at the Greener Gadgets Design Conference in New York. Basically, it’s a Bluetooth phone that’s implanted under the skin of your forearm. (The device is powered by a battery that runs on human blood. Little tip o’ the hat to Matrix fans.) The keypad only becomes visible while you’re on a call, and the TatPhone includes a screen that will display a video image of the caller up next to the crook of your elbow. The same technology can be used to monitor blood chemistry, and to alert the neophyte Borg that maintenance is urgently required.
One thing that’s unclear from the description is exactly where the audio components of the phone are located. Is it a standard Bluetooth headset, or do you stand there speaking into your elbow like a total idiot? Another possibility, of course, is to implant those components as well, probably attaching them somewhere on your skull. With any luck, widespread adoption of this technology will lead Congress to pass the Get the Fuck Out of My Head No Robo-Calls Act of 2014.
