Magnetic implants give transhumanist self-made invisible earphones

Lets hope Apple never gets the chance to bring annual iterations to this branch of the tech world. Biohacker (transhumanist, grinder) Rich Lee has implanted a magnet in each ear which gives him the ability to hear sound wireless sound signals, transmitted thanks to a necklace hidden in the folds of his shirt. They work thanks to a process somewhat like the bone conduction used by Google Glass, though, of course, internal. Lee was inspired by a forum discussion on a biohacking website, and a video over at Instructionals (embedded at the end of this article).

Lee addresses the most obvious question, why would you do this? with an equally obvious answer: Because. If you dont get it on your own, he says, you cant have it explained. Im a Grinder, and we are notorious for getting it. Notorious for that, among other things.

The scar from the implant is impressively discreet.

The real puzzle of these sorts of projects is not why people would find it cool or intriguing to mix their bodies with technology weve been expanding our ear lobes and tattooing our eyeballs since long before the start of recorded history, so theres clearly something basically human about an inclination toward that sort of self-modification. What bothers me are the claims of practical utility.

Beyond the obvious stealth aspect, none of what Lee claims to be able to do with his implants couldnt be achieved more easily and effectively with conventional earphones. GPS navigation instructions, range-finding echolocation, room-crossing eves-dropping, all of these and more use external tech like microphones to project sound. Does it increase the utility of a Geiger counter to hear its clicks this way, rather than via a nice pair of ear-buds? This isnt like the coils many grinders get to allow them to experience magnetic fields this adds no amount of utility, only stealth.

Gambling certainly comes to mind when considering actual new uses for this technology, as does the espionage and intelligence industry. Considering the lengths to which some desperate students will go for a competitive edge in pre-med exams, its very easy to imagine one them getting an implant such a this. A friend outside broadcasting with a textbook before them could be all that stands between you and a full-ride scholarship. Incorporate a hidden pinhole camera into the mix, and youve got yourself the perfect cheating machine.

With such technology right around the corner, and with information ever-increasingly available to professionals on the job, might it be time to reevaluate the whole idea of facts-based testing? Technology seems to be making it not only less practical, but less necessary as well.

Now read: DIY lightsaber is almost as dangerous as an actual lightsaber

See original here:
Magnetic implants give transhumanist self-made invisible earphones