Students Turn 3D Printer Into a Tattoo Machine

Has this given birth to the age of cyborg tattoo artists?

As reported in New Scientist, a group of design students in France have hacked a 3D printer, turning it into an automated tattoo machine. This was done as part of a workshop at the ENSCI-Les Ateliers design school in Paris.

At first the students started off with non-permanent tattoos. Then, satisfied with the results, they decided to hook up a tattoo machine and get the real thing. One of the trickiest parts was keeping the skin taut for an accurate drawing. The result? A simple (but precise) circle on one of the student’s arm.

Will this open the door for automated tattooers? Doing away with real human beings? No way, says Samuel Bernier, the students’ instructor.

“The idea really isn’t to replace the tattoo artist: you can’t replace their eyes and brain. What’s interesting is to open the discussion.”

The students have posted up a guide on how to hack your own 3D printer, though you may need to brush up on your French to understand it.

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