The New Tattoo Trend: 3D-Printers Inking Skin

Automated tattoos are now a reality, with 3D printers being hacked into tattoo machines. Multiple people have posted videos of their 3D printer that can "print" tattoos, with one of the more impressive ones shown in the two videos below.

While many machines are being modded for this function, as the one above, which was part of a hacking "mashup" in Paris called Public Domain Remix, there are also people making these machines from the ground up. The one below didn't come from a 3D printer, but it's basically the same principle.

Personally, I'm conflicted. As an avid tattoo fan rocking six of my own, I've always had great experiences with designs created and inked by true professional tattoo artists. To me, that's part of the experience.

But then again, sometimes those experiences can go wrong—often very, very wrong. A tattoo machine could limit or eliminate mistakes, but mechanics can fail, and the idea of the machine possibly malfunctioning just turns me off to the whole idea.

Plus, if you're going to use a 3D printer to tat people up, shouldn't they be 3D tattoos?