Google Developing A Skin Tattoo That Can Double As Lie Detector

Google Motorola Mobility/USPTO

Google’s Motorola Mobility Unit has submitted a patent for a rather unique invention: a skin tattoo that can double as a lie detector via a mobile application.

It sounds notably worse than it actually is. A microphone is embedded into the tattoo and features a transceiver that allows wireless communication to the mobile device, which would work great for users who can’t use their hands or who are in noisy environments.

Communication can reasonably be improved and even enhanced with a method and system for reducing the acoustic noise in such environments and contexts,” the application reads.

The application also states that the device would be helpful in emergency situations where audio transmission is extremely important, such as large stadiums, busy streets, or restaurants.

Although these aforementioned uses are what is device is primarily geared towards, the skin tattoo has many uses, including being a lie detector. As the application suggests, “Optionally, the electronic skin tattoo 200 can further include a galvanic skin response detector to detect skin resistance of a user. It is contemplated that a user that may be nervous or engaging in speaking falsehoods may exhibit different galvanic skin response than a more confident, truth telling individual.”

Although the tattoo is designed for the throat, it can also be applied to a collar band, even if the collar band is stiff.

This isn’t the first time Motorola Mobility has dived into next-century-type technology. They are also in the process of developing what is called a “password pill”—a pill you swallow when you forget your password that sends an 18-but signal to your mobile device to help you recover it.

Even with the application, it is unclear what Google envisions for the future of the skin tattoo to be and exactly who their target audience as. As more details are revealed, we’ll be able to paint a better picture.