One of the more recent trends to gain some mainstream adoption is called body modifications. Do not confuse this trend with plastic surgery, as the two worlds could not be further apart. Body modifications usually fall into the “biohacking” category, even though this latter concept is much broader than most people anticipate. People tend to get very creative when it comes to modifying their body, that much is certain.
#5 RFID Implants
As odd as it may sound on paper, some people have taken a liking to the idea of embedding RFID implants into their hands. There are quite some advantages to doing so, though. Every implant generates a radio frequency, which can be used to access a car or other sensor-based object. Unfortunately, RFID implants are not the most secure solutions, as they can be copied by sophisticated hackers. Then again, these implants beat any password or fingerprint security measure.
#4 Magnetic Fingers
Do not think of magnetized fingers as just another party trick by any means. While the use cases for magnetic implants may remain limited for the time being, biohackers tend to favor this solution. Sensing electric fields is not on everybody’s bucket list, after all. On the other hand, having magnets in your fingers can help you determine whether metals are ferrous, which wires a live and which ones are dead. You could even sense a microwave’s electric field vibrating at 60hz.
People who often work with metallic objects may want to be careful when magnetizing their fingers, though, as things will tend to stick around for a very long time. Especially sharp objects could get uncomfortable rather quickly.
#3 Sensing Colors
One of the most notorious body modification inventions is the one created by Neil Harbisson. This antenna allows him to hear colors, which probably is even stranger than it sounds. This optical body modification is quite unusual, though, as the tones transmitted by this antenna are bone-conducted. On paper, it sounds like visiting an art gallery or looking at a rainbow could become a whole new experience. Then again, it is not something that will appeal to mainstream consumers anytime soon.
#2 Biometric Chip Under The Skin
Tim Cannon is a very unusual individual where body modifications are concerned. Rather than swearing a fitness armband, he decided to have a biometric chip implanted under his skin. This chip transmits data related to his movement patterns and heart rate to an Android device. A significant advancement in the world of fitness trackers, although it is rather invasive. Do keep in mind this chip looks like a small brick stick out of your forearm, which is not necessarily pleasing on the eyes.
#1 Deep Brain Stimulation
Unlike what most people may expect, there are medical body modifications which can help improve overall health. Deep brain stimulation aims to achieve this goal by inserting electrodes into three parts of the human brain. So far, this method of body modification has proven to be quite successful when it comes to dealing with Parkinson’s disease.
All electrodes are connected to a neurostimulator, which is placed below the skin in the chest or abdominal area. This stimulator can send high-frequency stimulation of parts of the brain, allowing the signals associated with Parkinson’s disease to be changed. It may very well become a “mainstream” procedure to treat Parkinson’s over the next few years.
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