The Idea Factory: Google's electronic neck tattoo
Imagine a smartphone mic attached to your throat
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Motorola Mobility, which is owned by Google, has filed for a patent titled "Coupling an Electronic Skin Tattoo to a Mobile Communication Device." Essentially, it's a Bluetooth headset "designed to be tattooed onto your throat," says Steve Dent at Engadget. The electronic tattoo's microphone and transceiver capture vibrations directly from your larynx, freeing up your hands. It's worth noting, though, that Motorola has a reputation for playing "fast and loose" with the definition of a tattoo, says Chris Velazco at TechCrunch. An "e-tattoo" described in 2011 was more of a sticker.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.