Imagine the human body as an illuminated walking billboard… Science fiction?

Not if you see the latest developments in bio-engineering. Researchers at the Beckman Institute (University of Illinois) and the Tufts University in Medford, have managed to build silk-silicon LEDs that can sit under the skin and might act as little photonic tattoos.

Photo credit: technologyreview.com

These nanometers thick devices are made by mounting very small silicon transistors on a thin film of silk. As the silk is biodegradable, it melts away over time, leaving behind the electronics and allowing them to be as flexible as the human skin.

Even though the possibilities are still very primitive and the actual displays may seem crude, companies like Phillips are already exploring the possible opportunities of this new medium. Have a look at their sensual prediction:

source: h+ magazine