Microsoft has been awarded a patent for turning your skin into a power conduit and data bus, and suggests a number of interesting applications of this technology.

"As a result of carrying multiple portable electronic devices, there is often a significant amount of redundancy in terms of input/output devices included in the portable devices used by a single person," says the filing. "For example, a watch, pager, PDA and radio may all include a speaker."

Microsoft says its work addresses wearable devices that are too small to have any kind of interface or even a battery, such as earrings.

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