You can control your smartphone with these tattoos

Did you know that you can control your smartphone using your skin? Well, this is what scientists have actually developed.

A team of scientists from Saarland University in Germany have developed temporary ultra-thin electronic tattoos that can turn the wrinkles and blemishes on your skin into touch-sensitive buttons. With these, you can control your smartphone. They have used conductive ink to print electrodes and wires on temporary tattoo paper. These tattoos are called SkinMarks and are thinner than the human hair's width.

The SkinMarks are transferred on your skin using water. These tattoos can last a couple of days and can be rubbed off. Martin Weigel, Saarland University, states that people know the location of their birthmarks and bumps. These can be ideal locations for the touch-sensitive buttons.

The researchers have started that the volume of the smartphone can be tweaked by sliding one finger across a tattoo that is placed along another finger. On bending the tattooed finger, the volume rocker will turn into the play/pause button. The tattoos placed on the knuckles can double as four distinct buttons when a fist is made using the tattooed hand. When the fingers are extended, the same can function as a long slider.

Juergen Steimleof of the university states that they have made use of the skin's elastic properties such as stretching and bending to achieve this. The tattoos are responsive to the changes on the skin surface. This way, the tattoos can be incorporate with multiple commands at the same location.