Google Has Designed A Temporary Throat Tattoo That Is Also A Lie Detector
Google Has Designed A Throat Tattoo That Is Also A Lie
Detector
JIM EDWARDS NOV. 11, 2013, 8:48 AM
Google has filed a patent for an electronic skin tattoo
that connects to a mobile device, and can be used as a lie detector.
The tattoo isn't permanent — it's applied to a sticky
substance on the skin.
The intent of the device is to allow someone to wear a
communications device on their throat, keeping a mobile phone or similar device
in their pocket. The tattoo communicates with the device, transmitting
conversation. Such a device might make things easier for someone who wants to
transmit a conversation but cannot use their hands.
Google's application suggests it might be used by
security personnel, perhaps working undercover in noisy environments like
sports stadiums or at political demonstrations:
Mobile communication devices are often operated in noisy
environments. For example, large stadiums, busy streets, restaurants, and
emergency situations can be extremely loud and include varying frequencies of
acoustic noise. Communication can reasonably be improved and even enhanced with
a method and system for reducing the acoustic noise in such environments and
contexts.
The tattoo has a darker side too, according to the
application. It can be hooked up to a lie detector:
Optionally, the electronic skin tattoo 200 can further
include a galvanic skin response detector to detect skin resistance of a user.
It is contemplated that a user that may be nervous or engaging in speaking
falsehoods may exhibit different galvanic skin response than a more confident,
truth telling individual.
It's not clear from the application why someone might
want to operate a lie detector at a remote distance from the person they were
testing. But again, undercover operations — in which authorities send in
stooges to deal with bad guys — spring to mind.
Or perhaps Google envisions a situation in which the
person wearing the tattoo doesn't know they have one?
Disclosure: The author owns Google stock.
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