SkinMarks: Enabling Interactions on Body Landmarks Using Conformal Skin Electronics

The body provides many recognizable landmarks due to the
underlying skeletal structure and variations in skin texture,
elasticity, and color. The visual and spatial cues of such body
landmarks can help in localizing on-body interfaces, guide
input on the body, and allow for easy recall of mappings.
Our main contribution are SkinMarks, novel skin-worn I/O
devices for precisely localized input and output on fine body
landmarks. SkinMarks comprise skin electronics on temporary
rub-on tattoos. They conform to fine wrinkles and are
compatible with strongly curved and elastic body locations.
We identify five types of body landmarks and demonstrate
novel interaction techniques that leverage SkinMarks’ unique
touch, squeeze and bend sensing with integrated visual output.
Finally, we detail on the conformality and evaluate
sub-millimeter electrodes for touch sensing. Taken together,
SkinMarks expands the on-body interaction space to more detailed,
highly curved and challenging areas on the body.

• Human-Computer Interaction and Visualization