One day most people will gave these, with the exception of cloakers perhaps. Hopefully no democratic government will make them compulsory.
They will certainly have a nickname, and I can’t see EES taking off. How about e-tatt? Or e-sticker? Or e-patch? I like ePatch.
Called an “epidermal electronic system” (EES), it’s basically an electronic circuit mounted on your skin, designed to stretch, flex, and twist — and to take input from the movements of your body.
… functionality in a wide array of electronic components, including biometric sensors, LEDs, transistors, radio frequency capacitors, wireless antennas, and even conductive coils and solar cells for power. [Source: IO9]
As you can see in the video, it is pretty much a temporary tattoo, with electronics inside that can cope with being bent and twisted. But that’s not to say a more permanent version won’t be designed – one that can be used to identify you.
The most obvious uses are biometric, in which the ePatch monitors your body, and sends to information to your smartphone, or perhaps hospital equipment:
- heart monitoring
- brain activity
- sleep patterns
- neo-natal observations
The key advantage is being able to fit snugly and discreetly to the skin. Attach it to your throat and it could read what you are saying, even if you are only mouthing the words.
