Futuristic Dubai nail salon turns your nails into digital storage devices
As compute and storage gets smaller people will find all kinds of new use cases for them ...
Key takeaways
- The country is dripping in novelty and captivating the world with its contributions from all walks of life, from its flying taxis and 3D printed buildings, to its skyscrapers and robocops.
- While the world was obsessing over a bizarre coronavirus-inspired nail art trend, Lanour Beauty Lounge in Dubai World Trade Centre is wowing clients with their Smart Nail manicure.
- The Smart Nail starts at only AED 250 (roughly $70) for the first application, which lasts up to three weeks.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2021) 'Futuristic Dubai nail salon turns your nails into digital storage devices', 311 Institute, 2 May. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/futuristic-dubai-nail-salon-turns-your-nails-into-digital-storage-devices/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
Dubai is truly the land of man-made wonders. The country is dripping in novelty and captivating the world with its contributions from all walks of life, from its flying taxis and 3D printed buildings, to its skyscrapers and robocops. And now, to add to their tally, a local nail bar has introduced a new novelty, a high-tech smart nail microchip manicure.
While the world was obsessing over a bizarre coronavirus-inspired nail art trend, Lanour Beauty Lounge in Dubai World Trade Centre is wowing clients with their Smart Nail manicure. Trust Dubai to give you the feel of living in 2050 when the rest of the world is busy grunting on the adversity that was the year 2020.
The latest nail fashion trend?
The futuristic manicure involves placing a teensy microchip on top of your fingernail, which is then covered and secured with a layer of glitter nail polish. How does this work or benefit its user? According to the Lanour Beauty Lounge, the chip uses Near-Field Communication (NFC), a short-range wireless technology that makes smartphones, tablets, wearables, payment cards, and other devices even smarter. Meaning, a simple tap of your chip-bearing, the manicured-to-perfection finger will transfer personal data such as your WhatsApp details, a digital business card, or your Instagram handle within seconds.
The chip is also completely safe as it is a passive device which means it cannot be tracked and can only be read in close proximity of 1-2cm, so there is no fear of data being hacked or stolen, alledgedly.
Of course, the capacity to store data in the chip is quite small for now. Still, CEO Nour Nakarem is hopeful that with technological advancements, this idea can be developed to the point where people can tap to pay for bills, share menus, and circulate information. The Smart Nail starts at only AED 250 (roughly $70) for the first application, which lasts up to three weeks.
What this means for your organisation
Personal data is moving onto the body.
Lanour Beauty Lounge in Dubai places a small chip on the nail and seals it with glitter polish. A tap can pass on WhatsApp details, a digital business card or an Instagram handle. This fits the Personal Data Stores trend, where people keep their own records and share them on their own terms. It is on our Watch list, with wide use around 2038.
Short range is the main safety claim.
The chip is passive. The salon says it cannot be tracked and can only be read from 1 to 2cm away. The source adds that this is alleged, so treat it as a claim to test, not a fact. Smart Data, which is data cleaned and organised where it is collected, points to the same need for control at the edge. We rate it Prepare, with wide use around 2028.
Small storage still invites new uses.
Capacity is tiny for now, and the first application lasts up to three weeks. CEO Nour Nakarem hopes the idea can grow to paying bills, sharing menus and circulating information. Smart Dust, tiny machines with sensors and a little computing power, shows the same direction at a smaller scale. We rate it Watch, with wide use around 2040.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- Which customer or staff tasks could a simple tap replace in our business?
- Who controls the personal data a wearable chip shares, and can we verify it?
- What rules would we need before holding data that people carry on their bodies?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
As compute and storage gets smaller people will find all kinds of new use cases for them ...
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity programme, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 2 May 2021. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2021). Futuristic Dubai nail salon turns your nails into digital storage devices. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/futuristic-dubai-nail-salon-turns-your-nails-into-digital-storage-devices/
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