Tattoos are a popular way for many to express themselves and to make a lasting impression by way of permanent ink. A 2016 report by The Harris Poll said roughly 3 in 10 American adults (18 years and older) have at least one tattoo — and of those inked, nearly 7 in 10 have multiple tattoos.

Now, a clever entrepreneur may have found a way to revolutionize the tattoo industry by making memories last forever with the help of smartphone technology.

Nate Siggard, a Los Angeles-based tattoo artist, is the creator of Soundwave Tattoos by Skin Motion, a budding company focused on catering to the production of augmented reality tattoos via mobile app. Soundwave Tattoos, currently still in the developmental stage, is Skin Motion's first major product.

In short, tattoo owners will be able to upload an audio clip to the app. After getting the desired tattoo completed by a Skin Motion-certified artist, the app will play back the sounds coinciding with the tattoo ink designs.

The app then "plays the soundwave" as the smartphone passes across the design. All uploaded audio clips can be up to one minute long.


"Soundwave Tattoos are a brand new way to express yourself using art and technology," according to the Skin Motion website. "What is more personal, more permanent and more meaningful than a tattoo? A tattoo you can play back."

So how does something like this come to reality? Siggard had a random conversation with his girlfriend after their two friends got the opening line from Elton John's song "Tiny Dancer" tattooed by Siggard. His girlfriend thought the concept of playing the song through a tattoo could potentially be a marketable game-changer in the tattoo industry.

It turns out, the idea may be beyond revolutionary. The official release date for the app is scheduled for June, but Siggard decided to first test the concept on himself, recording his girlfriend and their baby saying "I love you."


Once he posted the video of his new tattoo, it went viral, and he received global interest about the concept. And after submitting the patent for personalized augmented reality tattoos, Skin Motion was introduced. The idea has become so popular that a signup list was put on the Skin Motion website.

Skin Motion has specially trained tattoo artists, and the app will connect all interested customers with artists certified to do the soundwave tattoos. The concept may sound over the top by some, but you can bet that the app with the help of social media clips and testimonials — is expected to be a trendsetter in the tattoo industry.