Back in 1985, Michael J. Fox was riding air skates in the movie we all loved to watch as kids. Today, techies have taken the term futuristic to the next level.

One group of South Korean scientists have created a new wearable technology that could turn your skin into some speakers! Just imagine, we can have a bunch of music lovers who can do-away with wearable headphones.

At first, the scientists wanted to create these tiny speakers/microphones to help the hearing and speech impaired, and that is because the new “smart skin” could be embedded into the ears or throat of an individual. the stretchy device can also act as a microphone, which can be connected to smartphones and computers to unlock voice-activated security systems.

So how does this unique product work? The scientists explained it to the media like this: “After receiving an electric audio signal from a music player, the tiny loudspeaker heats up the wire grid to about 33°C, which replicates the sound pattern by changing the pressure of the surrounding air. Our ears pick up these changes in air pressure as sound waves. The microphone operates in reverse, converting speech sound waves back into an electric signal, which can then be stored and played back by a smartphone or computer”. Even though the sound quality and volume of the speakers aren’t loud enough right now, the scientists are doing everything they can to improve that aspect. If successful, these speakers will make air skating look like the telegram.

Let’s hope that all the research for the improvisations of the “smart skin” speakers will be accomplished in the near future, because I can’t wait to bump some old school Mariah through my fist at the beach soon!