Google’s Neck Tattoo diagram: image via theregister.comGoogle’s mobility division has applied for a patent on a neck
tattoo that electronically provides voice input to a mobile
communication device (MCD) for hands free communication. On its face,
or throat, as is the case, the tattoo is innocent enough, but an optional
use for the tattoo includes the exhibit of galvanic skin responses to
show whether one is "nervous or speaking falsehoods…." This widens
the application to include everyone from criminals to politicians to
cheating spouses to, well, just about anyone whose truthfulness one
may want to test!
The patent application, "Coupling An Electronic Skin Tattoo To A Mobile Communication Device,"
was published by the USPTO on November 7, 2013 and the first several
claims describe an ingenious electronic tattoo that would pick up one’s
voice directly from the throat area and communicate it to an MCD without
the interruption and distraction of ambient noise.
One might
imagine such a device could be used by police and municipal service
workers or anyone attempting electronic communication in a noisy
environment. The patent application even includes the ability to
program the neck tattoo so that certain sounds would initiate commands
that are read and communicated by the MCD. If individual citizens could
wear the neck tatoos, or an embedded tattoo ring in their collars, also suggested in the patent application, such signals might be used to lock or unlock
doors, turn lights on or off and several other office and home
applications. They could also be programmed to call police or other
emergency personnel.
Among the truly ingenious uses for Google’s throat tattoo described and shown in the application’s figures is "the electronic skin tattoo (200) can further include a galvanic skin response detector to detect skin resistance of a user" who "may be nervous or engaging in speaking falsehoods" and therefore, "exhibit different galvanc skin response than a more confident, truth telling individual."
Essentially, as I read it, this device would function as a more or less continuous lie detector determining the veracity of every word the wearer utters, even perhaps his thoughts…. Do you think that is what Google has in mind? Let’s just ask it and see if it tells us the truth!
sources: The Register, USPTO, via Business Insider
