One of Google’s latest patent applications appears to also be what some have called “Google’s creepiest patent yet.” This may be because the patent application is directed to an electronic skin tattoo that may be applied to a person’s throat. Contrary to its use of the word “tattoo,” the patent application, filed last year by Google-owned Motorola Mobility, describes a flexible substrate that can be applied to a person using an adhesive. The “tattoo” includes an embedded microphone and power source and would be used to communicate with smartphones, gaming devices, tablets and other such voice-based technology. It is meant to reduce surrounding noise and provide better “acoustic pick up of sounds emanating from a [person’s throat].”

Most of the concern surrounding this patent actually pertains to the patent application’s brief discussion on how the tattoo could further include a galvanic skin response detector to detect skin resistance of a user. The application goes on to posit that a person that “may be nervous or engaging in speaking falsehoods may exhibit different galvanic skin responses than a more confident, truth telling individual.”

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/13/google-throat-tattoo_n_4267366.html

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