It's not about a tattoo robot.

I walked into Blackdot tattoo studio, located in East Austin, on a warm day in May. After greeting me, the founder and CEO, Joel Pennington, guided me to a small office space consisting of three rooms. Many critics have unfortunately compared the studio to a clinical environment, which has some truth to it. In one of the rooms was the machine I had come to see: a refrigerator-sized device that emits a soft hum and resembles an old X-ray unit. Blackdot presents it as the world’s first "automatic tattoo machine."

The space was filled with clues about the journey they have taken so far. Pennington showed me several sheets of synthetic skin that the company uses for testing, which had a peculiar smell. In earlier stages, tattoos were tested on pig skin, a material resembling human skin, obtained from a local Asian grocery store. They initially tried to source it from a Mexican market but found that the skin was too dry.

Pennington clarifies that their device is not a "robot," as it does not make high-level autonomous decisions. However, it has generated divided opinions. Some, like the famous New York studio Bang Bang, have embraced the technology and are using it for text tattoos. Others are concerned about fears of automation impacting the tattoo industry.

Tattoos are more popular than ever. According to estimates, almost one-third of adults in the U.S. have at least one tattoo, with the number rising to 46% among millennials. This practice, which has existed in various forms for over 7,000 years, has evolved over time. Technological improvements have led to advancements in ink quality and the emergence of electric machines in the 19th century, streamlining the process. Still, the act of tattooing has always centered on one person puncturing another's skin. The Blackdot machine represents a significant shift in this paradigm.

Pennington does not come from the tattoo world. He was previously the director of business development at Cisco and founded Blackdot in 2019 after several brainstorming sessions with a partner. His decision to enter the tattoo industry partly stemmed from his interest in coffee culture, where he noticed that the most memorable people in those spaces often had tattoos.

After years of prototyping, Blackdot emerged as a company centered around an industrial tattoo machine that Pennington claims can surpass the work of human artists. Alongside the machine, Blackdot aims to "centralize" the art of tattooing by creating a marketplace where artists receive royalties each time their design is used by the device.

Blackdot uses proprietary software to convert an image into a ".tattoo" file that the machine can read. Pennington asserts that the system can handle nearly any image, whether a standard design, a complex illustration, or even generative art. A human operator positions the client's limb and secures the skin before starting the machine. In case of an emergency, the operator can stop the procedure. The machine works in sections, using computer vision to track its position in real time. As in a traditional tattoo studio, a stencil is first applied; without it, the machine could lose its position during the procedure. The final result is an image made up of thousands of small gray dots, essentially a high-tech version of pointillism, although it currently does not produce color tattoos.

A key aspect that distinguishes the Blackdot device from a human artist, according to Pennington, is the process that occurs before the ink penetrates the skin. At the beginning of the session, the machine uses a digital microscope and image processing algorithms to determine the depth and number of punctures needed, adjusting specifically to each individual's skin. This precision aims to enhance the tattoo's longevity and reduce the risk of ink bleeding. While some of Blackdot’s early tattoos still look crisp and free of marks, fading on a tattoo often becomes visible years later.

Still, there are techniques that are better executed by hand. Pennington argues that his device can theoretically replicate any image style, but the small precise dots it uses make it less appealing to those seeking traditional American-style tattoos. Additionally, the machine cannot yet operate in areas like the hands, chest, or back. Its ultimate goal is to create a versatile device, but the current version resembles more of a specialized artist in a particular aesthetic.

One of the first people to be tattooed by this machine was Dominique Bird, a content creator in Texas. She approached Blackdot in 2023, when they had just a few hundred followers on social media, and requested a free tattoo. The company agreed, and she and some friends visited the studio. The process lasted about six hours, of which only 50 minutes were effective in applying the tattoo, which was done with a stencil resembling a QR code. Bird did not see how the tattoo turned out until the excess ink was cleaned off, revealing a hyper-realistic representation of the Mona Lisa on her inner bicep.

Now, a year and a half later, Bird's tattoo is still in good condition, a rare feat for a realism style. Although that is not her preferred style, she wanted to experiment with the device. During the sessions, a human operator sits beside the machine, able to adjust parameters as needed. Throughout the process, the device also dispenses a sanitizing liquid and has a suction system to remove excess ink and fluids.

The small and precise punctures made by the machine also facilitate tattoo removal. Pennington had a tattoo from The Smashing Pumpkins' album "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" that he managed to remove in just four sessions. He attributes the speed of the removal to the fact that the machine deposits the ink precisely at the junction between the epidermis and dermis.

For now, the machine is limited to relatively flat surfaces on arms and legs. Pennington mentions that they have "identified technical pathways" to expand into more complex areas, but this will require hardware improvements. He showed off some of the tattoos adorning his arm, which include a line of text that reads "ZEITGEIST" and a drawing of a dragon playing guitar made by his daughter.

Although Bird has faced online criticism for her tattoo, in real life, she has received most of the praise, even from other tattoo artists. The debut of the Blackdot device in a tattoo studio has accomplished approximately 250 tattoos. Pennington has had several of them, although he is in the process of removing three to “recover some of his skin.”

Recently, the Bang Bang studio in New York has integrated the machine, generating significant interest. Over 800 people have signed up on the waiting list. Currently, the machine is only performing text tattoos, as it is believed to have an advantage over human artists in this area, given the high precision requirements.

Blackdot plans to lease its device and create a centralized tattoo marketplace where artists can license their designs, ensuring royalties for each execution. This model can provide economic benefits to creators, even if they are not tattooists. However, the arrival of Blackdot has generated mixed reactions in the tattoo community. Some see it as a form of automation that lacks the essential human connection in the process. Others are concerned about the cost of tattoos, which in some cases can reach $10,000, and about the possibility of being displaced by devices like this.

Despite the polarization, Pennington is aware of the criticism and hopes that the support of a respected studio like Bang Bang will help legitimize his approach. While using the device may offer a calmer experience for certain clients, many artists continue to express their concern about the technology and its impact on the profession.