This 'Tattoo' Is a Computer

Scientists have blurred the line between man and machine with a revolutionary new device. The "electronic tattoo" sticks to the skin like a temporary tattoo, moving and wrinkling like skin does. The device, created by researchers seeking to create less obtrusive medical monitors for premature babies, monitors vital signs, but its creators believe it can be used in fields including gaming and espionage, ScienceNews reports.

"It's a technology that blurs the distinction between electronics and biology," says the lead researcher, a professor in materials science and engineering at the University of Illinois. "Our goal was to develop an electronic technology that could integrate with the skin in a way that is mechanically and physiologically invisible to the user," he says, adding: "I think creative folks out there will think of things we haven’t even contemplated." (More computer stories.)