Take Your Tattoos to the Next Level With Augmented Reality

Augmented reality is starting to play a greater role in our everyday lives and is becoming used in things we don’t usually associate with AR: tattoos. However, thanks to some creativity and advancements in technology, we are now seeing AR tattoos. This is an interesting new application of AR that brings new capabilities and possibilities to tattooing. Let’s take a closer look at AR tattoos to see how they are created and why they are an upgrade over existing tattoos. 

What is an AR Tattoo, and How Does it Work? 

AR tattoos allow you to superimpose virtual objects on your tattoos to add new meaning and enjoyment. This is done by using an engine to create augmented reality apps called Vuforia and put complex computer vision capabilities into the application. This gives it the ability to identify objects and orient itself in physical environments. Once you have created the augmented reality tattoo app, all you need to do is have an image that would be easy for the app to identify. This image would then be imported into Unity, a game development platform, which would allow you to create a marker that will link back to the 3D content. Now all you have to do is open the app and point your smartphone camera at the marker, and as soon as the app finds the marker, it will start overlaying the virtual images onto the marker. Everything linked to the marker will also be displayed. 

For example, one person really enjoyed his childhood Sonic video game, so he tattooed a Nintendo controller on his arm. He then created an AR app that allows him to play his favorite childhood video games while using his tattoo as the controller. This is just one of the many possibilities, and augmented reality services providers can create virtually any content to match your tattoo. It is also possible to create a virtual reality tattoo that actually brings the tattoo to life. Thanks to AR and VR, the possibilities are endless. 

There are additional uses of Augmented reality in the world of tattoos, and let’s explore them in the next section. 

Try on Tattoos in AR

Before you decide to get the actual tattoo, it is a good idea to see how it will look in real life. You can download a tattoo placement app, like AR app for Tatton.me that allows you to upload your sketches or drawings of the tattoo you are thinking about, and it will overlay the tattoo on your skin. This allows you to also play around with various colors and other effects, which decides whether or not to get the tattoo a lot easier. Such apps can also be useful for tattoo artists for uploading creative images and booking appointments. Customers can open the app and see all of the artists and all of the possible tattoos to make more of an informed decision regarding whether or not to get the tattoo, which design suits them best, and where to get the tattoo done. 

Tattoos You Can Hear

Another interesting use of AR is an augmented tattoo that allows you to playback music through a mobile device. New apps, like Skin Motion, allow you to take any audio recording up to one minute and upload it into their app. It will then create a soundwave pattern that you can tattoo onto your body. Placement is very important because the tattoo cannot bend around body parts. Once the tattoo is finished, you will be able to point your smartphone camera at the tattoo and hear the audio playback. 

There are many interesting applications of this technology. One interesting use is immortalizing the voice of a loved one. On their website, Skin Motion tells the story of a woman who lost her mother and found an audio recording she would like to have tattooed on her arm. This way, she could listen to her mother’s voice every day. Another person recorded family sayings or even their dog barking. 

Uncover the Secrets of Tattoos Through AR

Recently a new comic book idea was launched through Kickstarter called Modern Polaxis, which allowed readers to scan the comic book itself with a smartphone camera, and the AR app would uncover hidden secrets on the page. The same principle can be applied to tattoos. The static drawings can be animated with the help of AR and take the tattoo to another level and open up a whole world of possibilities. This is done by combining image recognition technology with markers in the tattoos, but you will need to find tattoo artists that partner with AR companies to try this for yourself. 

Trust Skywell Software With All of Your AR Development Needs

As we mentioned in the very beginning, there are many different applications of AR in our daily lives. Still, to take advantage of the benefits, you need to partner with a trusted AR development company. Whether you are looking to create an AR tattoo application or any other AR or VR product, Skywell Software can develop the custom solution you need. We have extensive experience developing AR and VR applications and can bring the most creative and imaginative ideas to life. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you.