Photo: @grindhousewetware.
Technology has allowed us to accomplish feats that were unthinkable just a century ago. Cars, planes, and trains now allow us to travel farther and faster than ever thought possible. We now carry around pocket-sized computers that can connect us to a friend on the other side of the world in a matter of seconds and can give us answers in an instant. We can manage diseases that once ravaged the world’s population, and we have access to the best healthcare in human history. In sum, technology has benefited the world in so many ways. However, now a question emerges…how much is too much? At what point do we separate technology that helps humanity from technology that becomes human?
The “body hacking” movement, perhaps more than anything else, is forcing us to address this grand question. The movement’s followers believe that not only can technology be used to fix parts of the body that are broken, but technology can and should be used to actually improve the healthy, human body. These followers believe that the “transhumanist” era has arrived.
Last month, the world’s first “BodyHacking Con” gathered at the Austin Convention Center in Texas. At the conference, several hundred “body hackers” came together to discuss and celebrate the latest implantable technologies designed to improve the human body. One such innovator was actually implanting people with bio-safe chips at the event (see the video above). Each chip comes with a unique identification number that can be used to unlock the individual’s smart phone or open doors. The chip is about the size of a grain of rice, and people at the event lined up to have them implanted.
Another technology, Northstar, was also showcased at the event. The technology is about the size of a coin, and the device can be implanted in the hand (although this is a rather gory procedure). When a magnet passes over the chip, its 5 LED lights start flashing. After 10 seconds, it goes back into sleep mode. The company intends the chip to mimic bioluminescence and/or backlight tattoos.
Northstar LED light. Photo: @grindhousewetware
It’s quite easy to be repulsed by the concept of implantable technology at first. The idea is so incredibly invasive and permanent that it seems mind-boggling that anyone would go through with it, let alone willingly wait in line for it. The concept seems so very unnatural in this context, especially when used only to connect us with our phones.
However, it’s interesting to consider what other purposes “body hacking” technology could be used for. It’s easier to entertain the idea of receiving a microchip implant if it fulfilled a need that ordinary technology cannot already meet.
Let’s think about possible implications within the health and fitness realm. For surfers, sharks are a constant fear (although we typically suppress and ignore this fear). But what if a tiny, noninvasive implant could prevent all shark attacks by deterring sharks with some kind of high-pitched frequency? Would avoiding the risk of a shark attack be worth the sacrifice for an avid surfer?
For elite athletes, what if an implant could thoroughly analyze body processes and muscle movements and identify weaknesses? This could help athletes maximize performance, prevent injuries, and push sports to new levels. Would athletes be willing to experiment with this type of technology for these benefits?
In the more broad healthcare realm, heart disease is a massive problem facing our society. Heart attacks can be devastating, and they can strike at any moment. What if there was an implant could detect precursors of a heart attack hours or even days before it happens? Not only could implants save lives, but they could allow people to live without fear of the unknown.
These examples, perhaps, make this kind of technology more appealing than it is now. Although we currently see this kind of technology as dystopian and invasive, in the future, will we see it differently?
Please share your thoughts on the pros and cons of such controversial technology in the comments!
