I had this idea may years ago as a small boy after reading some such type thing in 2000 A.D. and the latest watch post reminded me of it.

A sub dermal watch built into the top of your wrist. This could be a single solid array of LEDs or an array made up of separate LEDs wired to a small controller. Energy could come directly from a small radioactive source (sufficiently shielded) designed to last the owners lifetime. Or from a movement powered charging system - perhaps similar to the counterbalanced wheel in Rolexes etc. Or a device to convert energy directly from the carbohydrates in your own blood supply to a voltage source (I am sure I read about an idea for such a thing, but now cannot find the link).

So you never have to remember to put a watch on again, wind it up/replace the battery, or fall on your watch and end up with a dent in you arm. If your parents so desired you could even be born with one.

Perhaps a latter generation could include cuttlefish skin (grafted or gene spliced) into the top of the wrist to have a fully biological watch face display. Cover your whole body in this and do away with the need to have clothes, just think the outfit you want to be seen wearing. Evolution has come up with electrical systems so I think it should all be doable.
-- eight_nine_tortoise, Mar 19 2009

Halfbakery: Implanted Electronics Implanted Electronics
Nice [89t] but much of it covered in the linked idea. [zen_tom, Mar 19 2009]

Bugger, knew I should have patented it in 1976.
-- eight_nine_tortoise, Mar 19 2009


Ha, I know the feeling - I love the cuttlefish angle though - if we could figure out a suitable control system (like the direct brain systems where all you have to do is think of something) you might be able to graft yourself a patch of skin that you could change colour at will. A lo-fi version might tell someone whether you are awake, sleeping, in a coma, or in a state of further rest.
-- zen_tom, Mar 19 2009


Read this as Inuit watch.

Oh look, it's still noon.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Mar 20 2009


How would you adjust it (e.g. for daylight saving, or when you travel abroad)?
-- hippo, Mar 20 2009


hmmm, it would be nice to tie it into the bodies own clock system, so it resets for local time variation. I always thought that GMT and time zones was a backward step as midday should always be when the sun casts no shadow and that way your body clock is in time with your location. I am sure this could now be done with GPS.
-- eight_nine_tortoise, Mar 20 2009


Could you make it modular? So you have like a slot or socket in your wrist that you pop different faces into? Watches are as much about fashion as they are the time and people would want the flexibility to change the fashion part of it.

Give the first one free to a rapper and they'll be singing rap songs about it. Remember grills?

"Robbed a jewelry story and told em "make me an inbuilt watch..."
-- GodSquadMandrake, Mar 20 2009



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