Remember that new Freedom-2 tattoo ink we posted about late last year? It's finally getting nearer towards market availability. Here's a refresher on how it works.

The ink consists of pigments encapsulated by microscopic clear plastic beads. The pigments are then mixed in a solution for use by tattoo artists. Brown University professor Edith Mathiowitz, the microcapsule developer, said that the pigment is "homogeneously dispersed in the capsule to get the right color".

When it's time for removal, the laser bursts the beads open so the dye can be absorbed and removed naturally by the body. This makes it important for the pigments to be free of any heavy metals and other toxins. The single-treatment removal is a far cry from the six or seven laser treatments usually needed to remove regular tattoos.

The new ink is currently being used by Freedom-2 to tattoo 50 people at three test sites across the U.S. as part of a long-term study. Freedom-2 president and CEO Martin Schmieg says that the new ink should be ready for the market this fall.

That Chinese character tattoo of yours may have wowed your college buddies or significant other then, but now it doesn't bring the same impression when you're meeting up with a business client. Ah, the folly of youth! But if you think you're stuck with that tattoo forever, fret not for there might be a less painful way to part with that tattoo of yours.

A company called Freedom 2, founded by doctors, mentioned that they will begin selling a removable tattoo ink that will remain in place as long as the person wants it. But the difference is that it can be removed fully and safely with a single laser treatment. The New York company is calling their product Freedom-2 LLC.

So how did Freedom 2's ink achieve that "removability" factor? It's removable because it is encapsulated in tiny beads made of polymethylmethacrylate, a synthetic material commonly used in surgical glue and in many types of artificial joints.

Because of the way these beads are formed, they fall apart when laser energy is applied. That particular laser energy would cost you around US$ 1,000, which is a small price to pay for a good impression.

As for the ink, it will most likely cost more than the usual ones being used. But according to Freedom 2 CEO, Martin Schmieg, "the new ink will be slightly more expensive than conventional ink but will likely add only about $50 to the cost of most tattoos...because most of the cost related to tattooing is for the artist's time and talent."

Inventors working at NanoCyte, a US technology company, have discovered a method by which they can use the stinging mechanism of the Jellyfish to treat acne, deliver insulin and apply tattoos. Cnidocysts, are the stinging cells that give Jellyfish their potent sting.

The scientists involved plan to extract the toxin from the Cnidocysts and then use the properties of the material that is left over to deliver drugs and other substances into the human skin. After undergoing an incubation process to remove the harmful toxins that cause pain to humans, the stingers are soaked in a bath of whatever chemical or other substance that you would like to inject into the human.

The entire concoction is placed on the skin in a patch, and the injection is initiated when the doctor or patient applies pressure or a small electric current to the patch. The inventors claim that it is possible to use the new technique to deliver insulin or other drugs and even to give tattoos.

A pre-made tattoo, designed exactly to your specifications, that is free of defects and capable of being completed as quickly or slowly as you can stand? What if you are a diabetic? How about life without being forced to remember when to take your dose of insulin? This idea really has promise. You just have to get past the idea of having a Jellyfish strapped to your arm.