No one can deny that wearable technology is the future. Wearable technology such as Fitbit, Nike’s FuelBand, and Apple Watch, have created a multibillion dollar industry that continues to grow and grow. Now Chaotic Moon Studios, a Texas based software design firm, has recently unveiled their tech tattoos. An upgrade to wearable technology and the temporary tattoos we sported when we were kids, these tattoos are a wearable circuit embedded in electro-conductive paint. They can monitor activity, authorize payments, store important information, and even control other electronic devices via Bluetooth technology. Universities across the country, including The Ohio State University, have all begun research in wearable technology, from tech tattoos to e-textile technology.  Tech tattoos are lightweight, cost effective, and allow a plethora of aesthetic choices to make a customer look and feel downright awesome. These circuits can store credit card information and by making a gesture, authorize a purchase. Instead of going to your doctor once a year for a physical, these devices can monitor all types of important health stats and transfer this information directly to your doctor.   At the University of California, San Diego electrical and computing engineer Patrick Mercier, and nanoengineer Joseph Wang, are working on other applications for tech tattoos and wearable circuits like alcohol monitoring, which can track alcohol concentration in the blood and send the information via Bluetooth to a smartphone. MIT Media Lab has partnered with Microsoft Research to create DuoSkin, a metallic tattoo that uses conductive fabric tape and imitation gold leaf. LED’s can be added for more pizazz and thermochromic paint can allow for heat-activated, color changing, allowing for an endless number of aesthetic choices to integrate into your style, and portray identity. The best part is that this prototype costs $1.50 per unit, making the technology extremely affordable to produce.
The Ohio State University has recently enjoyed a major breakthrough in wearable technology as well, specifically in the field of e-textiles. John Volakis and Asimina Kiourti have been refining this technology at the ElectroScience Laboratory at OSU in Columbus. They have created a silver-coated polymer thread made of copper and pure silver that is 0.1 millimeter thick, made with seven filaments twisted into a single strand. This thin polymer is a major improvement on existing technology; it is thinner and 24 times more cost effective. The polymer can be woven into fabric using a tabletop sewing machine to embroider intricate circuit boards. Volakis and Kiourti can embroider shapes and designs with a high level of precision, including a series interlocking geometric shapes to create a broadband antenna that costs only 30 cents in materials. This embroidered clothing could be used to improve cell phone reception, or boost Internet connectivity, and the OSU team has also created prototypes for the technology’s industrial applications. They also hope it will someday have applications in the medical industry like sensor implants or diagnostic tools.
So, should we prepare to say goodbye to Fitbit and even the Apple Watch? Wearable technology integrated into our clothes, and onto our skin, will soon be able to perform all of the functions these expensive and bulky technologies can, while allowing for more individuality and design options. The applications for tech tattoos are endless, and John Volakis and Asimina Kiourti’s e-textiles are opening a new frontier in more cost effective wearable technology that will lead to incredible avenues. Who knows, we might be wearing our Buck ID on our skin someday soon in the form of a Block O temporary tattoo. Regardless of your feelings on wearable technology, love it or hate it, wearable technology doesn’t appear to be going anywhere soon.

MIT Media Lab and Microsoft Research’s DuoSkin. Photo: © duoskin.media.mit.edu
Chaotic Moon Studios’ Tech Tattoo. Photo: Chaotic Moon Studios

One of Ohio State Marion’s very own, Kris Kasotis, has decided to do his part in America’s great democracy by running for office during this election season. He is seeking the Clerk of Court’s position in Marion County. A lot more goes into running a successful Clerk of Court’s position than a majority of people realize, there is a long list of responsibilities and duties the office must uphold. Some of these include dealing with the civil and criminal cases that are being  prosecuted, preserving all the documents related to the court of common pleas, providing certified versions of files for attorneys that need them, administrating the titles for vehicles such as boats and cars,and apply for a passport. There’s quite a bit that goes into the office.

Kris is running on the Democratic ticket, he is running against the Republican and incumbent candidate of 4 terms (16 years), Julie Kagel and Independent candidate, Tom Stotts.

Kris first found his inspiration for running when he joined Marion’s Democrat Club and they voted him as their treasurer, through this position he learned that they were looking for a candidate to run for Clerk of Courts on the Democrat ticket. After studying the position and getting a feel for the office, Kris decided he was the right man for the job.

His studying revealed that a lot of the community is unhappy with the incumbent candidate, “Feedback from the community has been pretty awesome so far. Most importantly, I was hearing through word of mouth, attorneys and judges were unsatisfied with how the Clerk of Courts office was being run. Specifically, how documents were not being turned in on time. They wanted to see a change in that and new leadership. As for the actual public, it’s been a lot different, many people don’t know what the Clerk of Courts does or how a successful office is ran or how it’s beneficial to the community. For example, I was reading an article from the Columbus Dispatch about the Clerk of Courts responsibilities and it made note of Marion. It mentioned how Marion’s Clerk of Courts was not sending in criminal convictions for 5 years. That affects local law enforcement, it makes them look like they aren’t doing their job arresting people as well as doing fingerprints. They were messing up the background check system because they could not connect a conviction with an arrest.”

Kris is right, this can cause a huge problem for a community as felons can come up with clean records if files are not being used properly. The Columbus Dispatch did speak of the problem Marion County was having with Julie Kagel, “In Marion County, 16-year Common Pleas Court Clerk Julie Kagel stopped mailing criminal convictions to BCI nearly five years ago and is awaiting the completion of an online reporting system in coming months to resume reporting.”

The dispatch also interviewed Tim Bailey, Marion’s sheriff as he expressed his disappointment in the current Clerk of Courts, “I hate to badmouth the clerk, but she’s historically late on all her documents — all sorts of documents.”

(Kris with Marion Sheriff, Tim Bailey and Craig Krenzel, former OSU Quarterback)

Kris is looking to change this and has learned many lessons his whole life through his Mother’s and Father’s positions in the community, “On my first day in office I would have a celebration. There’s a staff in there that a lot of people take for granted. My mother taught me that having a good connection with your staff is key so I thought the first thing I would do in office is bake a cake for my employees. The reason behind this is because it would be like a welcoming. I would be sworn in January 2nd, and it would be like a new year and a new ideas celebration.”

This is a different answer from what you hear from stereotypical candidates running for office and something that sets Kris apart from the rest of the field.

Kris, being a 26 year resident of Marion, also attributes a lot of his success to Marion and Ohio State Marion, “Being a student totally brings on a sense of professionalism. At Ohio State Marion, there are so many ways to get involved, it’s cliche, but it’s true. There have been student employment opportunities that have been a way to advance myself. I can use those on  a resume and through them I’ve gained skills. I’ve been able to be apart of orientation leadership for 3 years, through that I’ve made so many connections with the students and the faculty here. A majority of the professors know me on a first name basis. When I came here I was the bloom that was on the tree and now I’ve been able to blossom.”

Students at Ohio State Marion could support Kris and become involved in this election by first registering to vote or updating their address to Marion if they’ve recently moved here.They can visit the board of elections website, www.marionelections.com to learn more.

If you are interested in volunteering with Kris he explains how students can help, “They [students] could volunteer an hour to help pass out some literature on an evening, going door to door and saying, “Hey, this is a candidate running for office. I go to school with him.” Visit his facebook page, Kris Kasotis for Clerk of Courts to check out his progress or to get a hold of him!

Kris also offers advice for current Ohio State Marion students, “There is a great campus here. Get involved in clubs and attend events, like when you see that white board out there, go to that event. Not just for food, but you are going to learn there and meet people. There are so many ways people can get involved in programs, you can use the skills you learn in these in the future. At first I would get in the car, come to school, and go home. But gradually, I began to hang out on campus and meet friends, and get involved, and become who I am today.”

And I agree with him, use this campus to your advantage, there is so much opportunity here for anyone willing to improve themselves as a student or a human being in general and Kris mentioned a quote in our interview that rings true to life, “The better the harvest in the field, the harder the work.” Get out there, work for what you want, and become the person that you want to be!

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