Johnny Walker, retired police detective
Considering how permanent they are, it’s no surprise that tattoos are pretty personal things. Whether it’s the date of your child’s birthday or some other commemoration that marks a significant moment or aspect of your life, tattoos provide a means of carrying a visual reminder of something important to us. However, they could get a lot more personal, thanks to a new startup called Everence.
His mission? Utilize technology developed by Brown and Duke University scientists that allows DNA to be incorporated into tattoo ink. Whether it’s the hair of a beloved pet or the cremated remains of a deceased family member, the resulting DNA tattoos promise “a deeper personal connection that even the most meaningful tattoos could never achieve.”
“The customer orders a collection kit, either a DNA cheek swab or an ash and hair container from our website,” Everence co-founder and CEO Patrick Duffy told Digital Trends. “We turn a client’s DNA, ashes or hair sample into Everence through a patented process, in which it is purified and encapsulated in a medical-grade polymer that protects it from being absorbed or destroyed in the body. Me [then] send Everence, which resembles a fine whitish silverfish powder, back directly to the customer. I can take my Everence to any tattoo artist in the world, who in turn mixes it with any tattoo ink of their choice and applies the tattoo as usual.”
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
The Everence compound (a combination of the words “forever” and “respect”) is created from medical-grade materials at the company’s dedicated facility in Quonset, Rhode Island. The process involves more than 20 individual steps and uses a series of specialized mini-mills.
Duffy said the concept was inspired by Special Operations Gold Stars, dedicated to the surviving spouses and children of fallen Special Operations personnel killed in combat. However, so far, customers have also been people celebrating the birth of a child, engagement or wedding, or those who lose a loved one in some other way.
The idea, of course, is not entirely new. There are already companies that will turn the ashes into, for example, jewelry. Back in 1977, rock group KISS mixed their blood into ink to print a special edition KISS comic book, with the idea that this marketing gimmick would give fans a fair share of their musical heroes. However, Everence may be the first time a similar process has been applied to tattoo ink.
Will this latest example of a high-tech tattoo catch on? We will have to wait and see. Either way, it’s sure to be a talking point at parties!
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Source: newstars.edu.vn