High-tech messages from the grave

Inventors usually try to come up with things that will change people's lives. But Robert Barrows is hoping to make an impact after their death. He is patenting video-equipped tombstones to let cemetery visitors watch messages from the dead.

Barrows, of Burlingame, California, has filed a patent application for a hollow headstone fitted with a flat LCD touch screen (US 2004/85337). It also houses a computer with a hard disc or microchip memory that allows the deceased to speak from the grave through a video message.

They might just relate their life stories, says Barrows, or worse: they could confess to lurid indiscretions. "It's history from the horse's mouth."

The tombstone would draw its electricity from the cemetery's lighting system. And to avoid a grave's soundtrack clashing with the one next door, people can also listen through wireless headphones.

More: www.newscientist.com...

Perhaps morbid, but quite an interesting idea if you could control the theft and vandalism. And you thought that tombstones were ridiculously priced before.

interesting idea, but as you've mentioned...lots of $$$ and imagine the theft rate of touch-screen tombstones

if we wanna prevent theft, why not hire a couple of zombies and ghouls to guard the cemetaries?
i know an humble vampire who could be their leader.

Would make for some good ideas in a horror movie. Im not sure about having these things in graveyards but indoor crematories would be good.

I don't even want to know what Dubya's will say when he's passed away - lol

I wonder who would pay for repair services...next of kin?? Seems like one more method of other people making money off of you after you die

i have put some thought into this,you could have a hole cematary with
touch sceens and one big computer to work it all and befor you die
pay 50 bucks a month in inavance for how long as you want.
or you could have a web site, say your kid is five and you have cancer
you could leave a video for all of his bithdays and other videos that are inportant.also pics. imagene wacthing video of you greatgrand father3 or 4
just a few ideas does it seem creapy to you