Designing dynamic tattoos Breno Bitarello Sad Escola Superior de Desenho Industrial State University of Rio de Janeiro bbitarello@esdi.uerj.br Hugo Fuks Departamento de Informática Pontificial Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro Hugo@inf.puc-rio.br João Queiroz Instituto de Artes e Design Federal University of Juiz de Fora queirozj@pq.cnpq.br ABSTRACT With the development of new technologies, new dynamic epithelial artifacts are designed, enabling new types of multimodal situated and embodied communication. The new tattoos (NTs) turns the skin a source of dynamics and reversible interventions, possibly responsive to fine-grained organic variations, and dependent to oriented local perturbation. As new aesthetic-cognitive artifacts, NTs alter the operational and semiotic dimension of the skin, transforming it into a new frame of interactive interface. This paper aims to introduce some epithelial prostheses based on new biocompatible methods and materials. Author Keywords Dynamical tattoo, design, biotechnology, cognitive extension. ACM Classification Keywords H5.m. Information interfaces and presentation (e.g., HCI): Miscellaneous. General Terms Design INTRODUCTION The design and application of new tattoo’s technologies has not changed dramatically since its origins. But things have altered recently. With the development of new technologies, new dynamic epithelial devices and artifacts are designed, enabling new types of multimodal situated and embodied communication. There are projects associated with the use of new bio-technological devices, as well as with new materials synthesis and new techno- scientific applications. These artifacts will convert the almost static aesthetic-technologic tattoo field into a new domain of experimental design of interfaces, improving a new collection of non-verbal communication, and creating new modalities of situated and embodied communication. STATIC NATURE? Any approach on the development of dynamic tattoos, based on new techno-scientific methods and models, should initiate on its own support -- the skin -- and the new available biologically compatible technologies. In a simplified form, tattoo is an invasive plastic intervention performed on the skin. The pigment is introduced in the dermis (second layer of the skin), through micro-incisions made in different ways. Although the skin intensely renews itself because of the constant cells replacement, it does not absorb the pigments because they are in the dermis within the fibroblasts. Each fibroblast is surrounded by a conjunctive tissue prominent network that holds and immobilizes the cell. The elimination of the pigments particles is prevented due to the basal intact membrane restoration [2]. (Many evidences indicate that in the very beginning, reverse attempts to the tattoo process were practiced. Even very old mummies have traces of attempts to remove the pigment inserted into the skin.) DIGITAL INK E-ink, digital ink and electronic ink, are flexible pixels matrixes which are introduced in the skin. Through a small surgery, encapsulated microspheres are embedded in the skin [4]. The charge contained in these spheres is thrown in response to organic changes [4]. As the body is both an electricity producer and a conductor, the charges can be attracted or repelled by the bioelectricity field, generating the images in the skin. The microspheres are between two Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. CHI 2009, April 4–9, 2009, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Copyright 2009 ACM 978-1-60558-246-7/09/04...$5.00.