An Austin-based startup called Blackdot has developed a robotic tattooing machine.

The device was created with the help of Yan Azdoud, a medical device engineer with expertise in "hyper-elastic surfaces," and its surgical precision has a startling payoff: Because its tattooing process only penetrates as deeply as necessary, the company claims that it's more comfortable to undergo and has never caused bleeding nor scarring in the 90-plus people who volunteered as guinea pigs.

"Blackdot's patented technology is engineered to tattoo swiftly, predictably and with minimal discomfort for stunning tattoos that will spark conversation," the company writes. "Experience a new degree of quality and a new industry standard."

Rather than replacing human tattoo artists, the company's intent is to allow them to license their work: The company is setting up an arrangement where the tattoo artist creates the design, the machine does the work at a Blackdot studio, and the tattoo artist gets a cut.

Blackdot has announced plans to have their machines in 40 locations, but currently they've got just one machine in operation, in residence at New York City's Bang Bang Tattoo. (Bang Bang has renamed the machine AERO, for Artist Enabled Robotic Operator.)

If you want to see what the process looks like, here it is: