If you're impressed by the machines that can now print graphics in cake icing or cappuccino foam, well … this'll really blow your mind. The Blackdot system, which has already entered use, utilizes AI and computer vision technology to robotically apply tattoos to people's skin.
Developed by an Austin, Texas-based startup of the same name, Blackdot is currently limited to applying grayscale tattoos to flat(ish) parts of the body such as the front and back of the arms and legs. Other regions, including the chest and the back of the shoulder, are now in the works.
At the heart of the system is the robotic Blackdot machine itself, which features a needle-equipped ink head that is raised or lowered to sit directly over the body part in question. The machine's human operator starts by importing a tattoo design into the AI-based operating system, after which they set the desired size of the image and convert it into the company's .tattoo file format.
The resulting file is what guides the machine, which begins the actual inking process by making a few tiny punctures in the top layer of skin, then applying black tattoo ink to create 0.25-mm dots – they're smaller than the width of a human hair. An onboard camera and laser analyze those "test dots," allowing them to be compared to a database of other test dots applied to various skin types at various depths.
Doing so tells the machine what settings will be required in order to render optimal black dots for the main tattoo, which is subsequently applied – one tiny dot at a time – over the test dots. A suction system removes excess ink and other fluids throughout the inking process, which is said to be considerably faster, less painful (due to shallower punctures) and more precise than if it were to be performed by a human.
The designs used in the system are supplied by artists who receive a commission each time their work is selected by a client. By accessing a cloud-based server, any Blackdot machine in any location can use any of the designs. If artists wish, however, they can set a limit on how many times any one of their designs is used … you know, to keep it exclusive.
A prototype Blackdot machine has been in use at New York City's Bang Bang Tattoo since April, where it has understandably received a mixed reception from members of the tattoo community. Plans call for the machines to ultimately be leased to tattoo studios, although the company is looking for investors in the meantime.
"It's incredibly exciting how Blackdot is redefining what's possible in tattoo as well as making the acting of tattooing itself more accessible," says CEO Joel Pennington.
Source: Blackdot
