MIT's new 'smart' tattoo can remotely control a smartphone

Researchers have created a temporary metallic tattoo that can be used to control your computer, smartphone and other connected devices.

"These tattoos enable anyone to create interfaces directly on their skin," said Hsin-Liu Kao from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US.

These temporary tattoos called DuoSkin use layers of gold leaf - usually used to decorate photo frames and chocolates that act as a conductor and connect parts of a small, simple circuit.

This new technology lets anyone create their own durable, customised gold metal leaf temporary tattoo that can be worn directly on the skin and used in several ways, researchers said.

Tattoos that act as an input device can convert skin into a track pad, letting users connect to a computer or smartphone and control apps by swiping on the tattoo itself, they said.

The output devices are able to actually display information, International Business Times reported.

For example, one tattoo can change colour based on your body temperature. Another can be paired with an app developed by researchers called "Couple Harmony" and lets partners visualise each other's current mood.

The third class includes a near field communication (NFC)-enabled version of the tattoos that can be used as a wireless communication device, enabling you to communicate information such as "skin status" or movie tickets, by tapping a smartphone onto the tattoo.

Each tattoo can include an NFC chip, a thermochromatic layer or light emitting diode (LED) lights, Kao said.