Your next tattoo could be inked by a robot

If the thought of getting a tattoo is already scary enough for you — the pain, the needles, etc. — then having one done by a robot probably isn't going to be any more appealing. On the other hand, if you already have experience getting inked, and are really good at remaining perfectly still, the steady, precise "hands" of a robot could result in an interesting, detailed design. On the other other hand, if you just want to watch someone else get tattooed by a robot, check out the video below.

In what's said to be the "world's first tattoo by an industrial robot," the video shows the work of a machine created by French designers Pierre Emm and Johan da Silveira, who work under the name Appropriate Audiences. Called Tatoué, the robot is a Makerbot 3D printer that has been modified to work with a tattoo gun.

As the video shows, part of the process involves the tattoo recipient staying very still, thus the reason his leg is strapped down so tight. This is because in order for the machine to create the tattoo, the target area is 3D scanned, followed by custom software instructing where to put the ink.



Any small body movements will cause things to get out of alignment, and the machine won't recognize that. This can be made worse by the fact that the body is made up of uneven surfaces, not flat, precise areas the machine is designed to work with.

The end result is still pretty cool, and getting tattooed by a robot is a unique experience in itself, not to mention making for a great story.