For some people, the human body is not a temple at all. Instead, they see it as a disappointment as they compare its limitations with the powerful technologies available today. Over the past few years, a new trend of biohackers, or "grinders", has emerged and taken root, experimenting with technology, trying to improve their body in every imaginable and unthinkable way. In many ways, it is a crude and curious field of experimentation that turns established ethical beliefs upside down. Further in the first person: Ryan O'Shea, Grindhouse Wetware.
It has been a long time since my own first electronic implant, a simple radio frequency transmitter, was installed in 1998. He allowed me to open the doors and turn on the lights with a simple movement of his hand. To put it on, I needed the help of a friend, a surgeon, in order not just to drill a hole in my hand, but to make sure that it stays in place and does not carry any infection.
Most biohackers today do not have this luxury and instead learn to perform surgery on their own, learning the basics of medicine and sterilization (often just rubbing needles and scalpels with alcohol). In 1998, I had the convenience of a local anesthetic, which not everyone does today, limited to a friend nearby who would catch it in case of fainting.
Probably the most popular implant is the radio frequency identification (RFID) chip, which has recently taken the form of NFC. This is essentially the same technology used in contactless payment cards, except that it is packaged in a small straw the size of a grain of rice. In 1998, my RFID was an inch long - the technology has clearly grown since then.
Durability and reliability are not a problem. My colleague Mike Gasson installed RFID in 2009 and it still works great with no failures or operational problems. But in order to transfer energy to the implant and communicate with it, external technology is needed.
Over the past couple of years we have seen a number of companies enter this field, although cynics insist that they are doing it more for PR. In January 2015, for example, it was trumpeted that several hundred employees in Sweden had been microchipped. Using implants - which were tattooed - employees could open doors and activate a copier.
For biohackers, the range of possible technologies that can be implanted is very wide and varied. Software developer and biohacker Tim Cannon has a variety of implants. Recent acquisitions include Northstar, which ignites when a magnet approaches. His Pittsburgh company, Grindhouse Wetware, is actually developing technology for biohackers. Then there is Lepht Anonym, which plans to implant a small compass chip in her left knee, along with a power coil that can be charged from the outside.
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Artists also take part in this movement. Moon Ribas, a Spanish avant-garde artist, implanted a seismic sensor in her elbow that allows her to sense earthquakes through vibrations. At the same time, the color blind Neil Harbisson attached a camera to his skull. Different colors cause vibrations of different frequencies to be transmitted through the skull, allowing it to distinguish colors with high accuracy. But what about Stelarc, who grew an ear on his hand?
Magnetic people
Many biohackers implant magnets in their fingers. They can be activated with small coils of wire connected to external sensors, ultrasonic or infrared. This allows the recipient to “feel” the distance to objects or distant heat. My student Ian Harrison did extensive research in his PhD work that involved implanting magnets to show just how responsive these magnets can be.
But the most advanced example is neurohacking, which involves modifying the brain and nervous system. In 2002, I had a BrainGate device implanted in the nerves of my arm that allowed me to manipulate a robot arm over the Internet using only my mind. It also gave me an extra ultrasonic sensation, so that when the object came closer to me, my brain was stimulated by high-frequency electronic pulses. Not so long ago, a similar implant was used in medicine to allow the paralyzed person to regain some control over their own hand.
It is obvious that biohacking has serious advantages that only grow with the development of neurocomputer interfaces. Over time, we will witness how these implants are used to improve a person, to improve memory and communication with the help of thoughts alone. Perhaps the Olympiads of the future will be based on the possibilities of biohacking?
Based on materials from Conversation
ILYA KHEL