The phone maker Nokia has a created a patent for a tattoo that vibrates to alert users of any phone calls, text messages or emails.
The tattoo will use a type of magnetic ink called ferromagnetic ink that receives magnetic waves from the user’s cell phone. Ferromagnetic ink contains metals and magnets that will vibrate when they receive magnetic waves from a ringing cell phone.
The different vibrations on the tattoo can be changed for different contacts in your phone. It can go from a soft tickle to a little bit of a harder vibration on your skin.
The tattoo may sound like a good idea for someone attending meetings, or for someone who doesn’t want their phone going off in class. However, some students at Bakersfield College do not think they’re going to get it because it may be a little too much.
“That’s gross,” said Candice Graham.
“It’s trippy,” said Rebekah Mack, who said she would probably not get one.
The tattoo would be applied in the same way that a regular tattoo would be, the only difference is the type of ink being used. So far the idea of having this tattoo does not seem promising in Bakersfield.
Billy Von, owner of Modern Electric, a tattoo shop downtown, feels that it is a bad idea.
“It’s stupid,” said Von. “What if you don’t want to use that phone anymore?”
Even though there’s not yet a single person who has the tattoo, Nokia has made it clear that if someone doesn’t want to use the tattoo, they can use a sticker that has ferromagnetic ink in it. It will alert users in the same fashion as the tattoo would.
There are still many questions regarding the nature of the tattoo. For example, how much will this special ink cost? And what could be some permanent damage that this tattoo may cause? Nokia has not given many answers to any of these questions, but it makes people wonder if this is even going to work.
“It sounds like they’re saying ‘tattoos’ to get people interested. Then it won’t work, so they’ll have to use stickers,” said Von.
Nokia has not given a date or any further information as to when the tattoo will be released. For now, it is only a patent.