In the future your tattoo could light up to reveal what’s going on inside your body… in addition to looking hella rad.
A research team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is working on a project called Dermal Abyss, which is developing tattoos that swap ink for biosensors that change colour.
The team has developed four biomarkers: two that measure pH, or acidity or alkalinity; one that measures glucose; and another that detects sodium.
“The Dermal Abyss creates a direct access to the compartments in the body and reflects inner metabolic processes in a shape of a tattoo,” wrote the team on the project’s site.
The project is still in its early stages and has only been tested on pig skin, but the tattoos could one day be a great help to humans.
Those who stand to benefit include diabetics, who currently have to keep track of their glucose levels and their need for insulin by piercing their skin — a process that’d be much easier if they could just glance at a tattoo.RELATED: Report links tattoos to cancer — but don't panic if you're inked up, expert says