Flash tattoos – temporary tattoos resembling jewellery and made from gold leaf – have been popularised by Beyoncé but Microsoft and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are turning them into the computer interface of the future. Researchers at MIT Media Lab, working with Microsoft Research, have developed DuoSkin, a flash tattoo that can be used as both an input and output interface.

The gold-leaf top layer of the tattoo acts as a conductive material that allows the wearer to use their arm as a touchpad or volume control device by sliding their finger across the flash tattoo. DuoSkin can also be programmed to change colour depending on the wearer’s change in temperature or emotion. And perhaps the most useful application is the ability to include an NFC chip detectable by phones, tablets or other scanning devices: imagine a temporary tattoo that not only controls the volume on your music but also tells you when you’re getting too warm during a workout and doubles as a wallet or access to cinema/airline tickets. duoskin.media.mit.edu/