Matsushita starts vending human-skin-as-data-medium tech

We have a feeling Microsoft is going to be none too happy about this, but Matsushita Electric Works has already commercialized technology that uses human skin as a data transmission medium to a number of manufacturers. Apparently some company called Teraoka Seikou will use the system to help butchers measure and sell meats. Which is an unexpected fit for the technology given the millions of other possible uses, but we won't deny how eerily appropriate it is for a meat-seller to be using skin-transmitted data devices. We can't wait!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 1:03AM]

The truly novel thing about Microsoft's similar patent was the ability to transmit not only data, which has been possible for years (though not commercialized for use in humans), but that it transmitted power through the skin as well.