3D Printing Is Cool But Check Out This $10K Automatic Robot Tattoo Artist

Blackdot aims to take the art of tattooing to a new level with what it calls "A New Way to Tattoo." Not to be confused with MIT's DuoSkin tattoos that function as on-body device controllers, the company's automated tattooing platform has opened up bookings for those daring enough to give it a shot at its studio in Austin, Texas.

Anyone who has ever gotten bitten by the tattoo bug will say that finding a trustworthy tattoo artist is critical to getting inked. But what happens when the tattoo artist is not human? That is exactly what Blackdot is attempting to answer with its first-ever automatic tattooing device, saying it can deliver tattoos that were previously unobtainable by a human hand.

"Blackdot's unique high-precision platform and scalable, culturally relevant approach marks a watershed moment in tattoo," remarked Matthew Stephens, founder of DeviantArt. "The company is opening up new categories of art in tattoo, from fine art and generative art to photographs and memorabilia, and it's expanding the reach of who can own a premium tattoo."

The company's devices utilize several concealed test dots to "learn" the client's skin characteristics. The device then compares the test dots to a skin database to determine which settings (number of punctures and puncture depth) will create the perfect black dot for the client's desired tattoo location.

Artists who collaborate with Blackdot are in complete control of their work, which allows for things like limited edition collections, as well as one-of-one designs. The submitted designs are kept in a secure cloud that can be accessed at any Blackdot Studio, with the company using blockchain technology to track tattoo execution. Each time someone chooses to get one of the artist's works tattooed onto their body, the artist receives a royalty from it.

"By reimagining the tattoo process, inventing new technology, and deeply respecting artists, Blackdot has created new opportunities in tattoo that will positively impact traditional tattoo artists, as well as open up the industry to visual artists, generative artists, photographers, curators, public figures, and compatible brands," remarked Ken Hood, Managing Partner at FusionX Ventures.

According to the company's website, the current selection of available tattoos will come with a design fee (ranging from $400-$3500), and an execution fee that covers 2 people or 1-2 glyphs (ranging from $600-$2000). The Behind the Curtain Tattoo Experience with John Craig at Blackdot Studio in Austin, Texas, is scheduled for the week of December 4, 2023, with an application deadline of November 4, 2023.

Would you get your next ink fill via one of Blackdot's devices? Let us know in the comments what your thoughts are.