Les représentations des tatouages connectés: enjeux de l’acceptabilité et relation à l’imaginaire

Abstract

This article presents the results of an exploratory survey around connected tattoos conducted in partnership with Mathilde Sarré-Charrier from the Orange Group’s SENSE laboratory. It explores two seemingly distant universes – tattooing and digital innovation – that we suggest may be converging with recent research on the Internet of Things. Indeed, while the practice of tattooing is spreading in all spheres of society, it also appeals to digital research & development laboratories and companies. Based on semi-structured interviews and a literature review on wearable computing (clothing and cosmetics), this article question what connected tattoos represent in terms of [re]defining the social role of the body. Interviewees’ comments highlight the importance of social imaginaries in interpreting the acceptability of the tattoo phenomenon and identifying ambivalencies around innovations such as connected tattoos.

Keywords

• innovation
• imaginaries
• tattooing
• social representations
• connected object