Are tech tattoos the future of tracking technologies?

Modern technology has become both a blessing and a curse, increasing ways for people to streamline their lives but also ways to monitor activity. In most cases this can be seen in today’s “wearable tech,” like Fit Bits and other bracelets designed to track a wearer’s vital signs during the course of the day. This information is then stored and can be shared at will.

Inspired by this new technology, there has been an increasing interest in developing tattoos that serve the purpose of these wearable pieces, in an even more concealable and efficient format. At their most basic, these tattoos will be able to track the wearer’s heart rate, activity level, and vitals which can them be accessed for review. However, the developers of this technology also see a number of future uses for this technology. While they haven’t yet been released to market, will tattoos really be the future of tracking?

For The Individual

The purpose of these tattoos for the individual would be to monitor the body’s activity to optimize health and wellness, from making sure they get enough exercise to alerting them to any signs of irregular heart activity. Similar to a temporary tattoo, they would combine electro conductive paint and LEDs in a format that can easily be put on or removed. They are meant to look cool, and definitely reflect a 21^st century sensibility. However, for those who want the style of a modern tech tattoo without the cost or function, fake temporary tattoos can easily be designed to mimic the futuristic fashion, without breaking your budget.

For The Family

The developers of this technology think that one of the future uses will be the ability to track children when in crowded areas. Similar to GPS on your phone, a parent can make sure they know where their child is at all times when they are wearing the tattoo. There are a number of potential uses in this vein given current fears about child safety outside of the home.

Additionally, this also allows parents to keep an eye on their child’s vital signs. In the days of childhood obesity, it would be a great way to make sure kids are getting enough activity during the day, and it would help pediatricians keep an eye on children’s overall health. Parents could easily monitor a child’s temperature or their sleep patterns. The idea that entire families could keep an eye on their own health every day is meant to cut down on the need for expensive medical care.

For The Military

One of the most focused on areas of this new technology is how it can be used to track soldiers on active duty in the military. In some ways this will reduce the time it takes to locate soldiers in combat, but it is also meant to help administrators hold soldiers accountable for their whereabouts. Plus, with the ability to monitor vital signs, it can make healthcare processes far more streamlined when soldiers are abroad.