I predict that there will be pin dot matrix tattoos in the near future.

The recipients’ body part will be immobilized within an inflatable torus, not unlike a blood pressure cuff...Then.... Wap Wap! Wappity Wap wap, a series of color tipped needles will penetrate the skin to the desired depth within the blink of an eye or two.
The area will then be thoroughly iced to minimize the swelling caused by such a large trauma sustained within such a short amount of time.

The benefits:
-The amount of pain would be dramatically reduced, due both to the speed of the procedure and decreased blood flow to the area before hand from the cuff.
-The tattoos would be as exact to the original drawing as possible.
-Lastly but not leastly, it would all be over as fast as a shot of tequila.

The drawbacks:
I am not into tattoos, so I'll never get to try out the machine but ehh, to each their own.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Aug 06 2005

Palm OS Robotic Tattoo Machine Invented http://www.palminfo...o-machine-invented/
It's been baked. [bonkers777, Feb 16 2009]

A microneedle patch tattoo is pressed to the skin https://research.ga...e-self-administered
[xaviergisz, Sep 15 2022]

US6565532 https://patents.goo...om/patent/US6565532
The microneedles can apply identifications or other tattoo-like graphics [xaviergisz, Sep 16 2022]

Better than what we've got now, but it'll never hold a candle to microneedle-based stickers. Peel off backing, apply to bare skin, remove in 24 hours.

Admire your new tattoo.

And if they live up to the hype, it should be entirely painless
-- Chrontius, Aug 06 2005


//I predict that there will be pin dot matrix tattoos in the near future.//

Followed by a backlash of traditional tatoo artists, decrying the commercialization and glut of mediocre practioners (fast food joints could stick machines in the corner programmed for their own logos).

Not that most tatoos rise above the mundane anyway, but they'll still complain, just like I did in the early low-res years of digital cameras and electronic fonts.
-- oxen crossing, Aug 14 2005


Brilliant
-- elhigh, Aug 17 2005



random, halfbakery