[HN Gopher] My Experience Biohacking
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My Experience Biohacking
Author : OuterVale
Score : 67 points
Date : 2025-01-09 02:51 UTC (20 hours ago)
(HTM) web link (vale.rocks)
(TXT) w3m dump (vale.rocks)
| PaulHoule wrote:
| I guess you're planning to never need an MRI?
| n3t wrote:
| The author mentions MRI in the article.
| OuterVale wrote:
| Not planning on one, no. People have made it through low Tesla
| MRIs with only a bit of discomfort, though I'm not sure if
| that's a risk I'm willing to take.
|
| Chances are I'll be able to discuss it with the technician or
| get it removed prior.
| bArray wrote:
| If it were me, i would get a tattoo above the location saying
| that there is removable material underneath, and get it added
| to you medical records. There probably should be a way to
| tattoo a universal message for the medical profession [1],
| i.e. 'do not resuscitate', 'allergic to X', 'metal under skin
| here', etc. There are relatively universal signs for magnets
| for example [2].
|
| [1] https://www.health4you.co.za/directory/category/tattoos/m
| edi...
|
| [2] https://openclipart.org/detail/281487/magnets-warning-
| symbol
| micromacrofoot wrote:
| most people never need one
| PaulHoule wrote:
| Not sure. According to this there are 40M given a year in the
| US,
|
| https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38021512/
|
| which is about 1 in 9 people. If those scans were evenly
| distributed everyone would get several in a lifetime although
| there is probably a Pareto thing going on to the effect that
| "20% of people get 80% of the scans".
|
| It's pretty routine for common soft tissue injuries. My son
| got a minor injury at work and had a Workman's Comp claim and
| got his knee scanned (puts a bound on liability I guess); I
| got my knee scanned because I'd had patello-femoral pain for
| a while and wanted to try steroid injections (didn't stick
| with it, my wife has given steroid injections to numerous
| horses, she tells me it helps in the short term but not the
| long term) Like my scan his scan came back with "degenerative
| changes consistent with your age".
|
| It may be a waste in most cases
|
| https://www.mymosh.com/spine/mri-for-back-pain-be-careful-
| wh...
| y-c-o-m-b wrote:
| I'm not sure that's true. I can't think of a single person I
| know over 35 that hasn't had one at some point. I'm an edge
| case for MRIs (I've had well over a dozen, maybe even two
| dozen), but I had to get one for a badly sprained ankle and
| that's a relatively common injury.
| nickthegreek wrote:
| If you decide to do this, be sure to get it removed prior to the
| silicone rupturing and act with some urgency if you think it has.
| I enjoyed my magnetic implant for the time I had it but it did
| feel like a lil ticking timebomb after a few years.
| OuterVale wrote:
| Mine is coated in Schott 8625 bioglass, rather than silicone.
| This should help it hold up for a bit longer, and also makes it
| a bit easier to get it out should need be. I'll definitely be
| taking swift action should I notice something going awry.
| xnx wrote:
| How much greater is the utility and sixth-sense as something
| embedded under the skin vs worn on a ring?
| OuterVale wrote:
| Worn as a ring, it probably wouldn't be great for sensing, as
| I'd suggest it'd hamper vibration and fine feedback. Some
| people do trial the experience by attaching it to themselves,
| usually with glue or tape.
|
| I think having it externally would be an inconvenience, and if
| it wasn't done constantly, I don't think the brain would learn
| to interpret it in quite the same way. It'd also likely get in
| your way during daily tasks. Ideally, you want to put it in a
| location with high sensation (this is why many people choose
| their fingertips), so any advantageous location would probably
| be a hindrance.
|
| You could always wear a magnetic ring for lifting, though. I
| actually purchased my father a magnet-filled wristband for
| holding screws, bolts, etc, once I realised the utility of such
| a thing via my implant.
| voidUpdate wrote:
| Ever since seeing some videos about it a while back, I've thought
| it would be cool to get an rfid implant so I can wave my hand at
| access card things and such like, though I hate needles (my 3
| month blood tests are hell) and it's always seemed a little
| freaky to me. I've also seen videos of people just putting chunks
| of magnet in their skin (I think I saw cody's lab do it, though
| I'm not sure) and that seemed extremely sketchy, so I'm glad
| there are safer-seeming alternatives these days (wrapped in glass
| etc)
| verelo wrote:
| I've also thought of doing this, then i consider the
| possibility that one day I'm in a car accident and have an MRI
| while unconscious, only to suddenly reveal to everyone i had
| metal inside my body.
|
| Improbable but i just don't think the fun is worth it lol
| voidUpdate wrote:
| Yeah, that was another concern of mine, or if I go through an
| airport scanner and have to answer awkward questions about
| why I've got a capsule concealed inside my body
| OuterVale wrote:
| As mentioned in the article, that shouldn't be an issue.
| Many people have reported going through without event. I'm
| looking to test it in a few months.
| voidUpdate wrote:
| Yeah I know, I just get extra concerned about putting
| stuff inside my body like that :P
| d1str0 wrote:
| A perfectly reasonable concern.
| alargemoose wrote:
| I've had one for ~7 years now and fly multiple times a
| year. I've never had it set off the metal detector, or
| more modern scanners at any security checkpoint in the
| US, or Mexico.
| synapsomorphy wrote:
| For magnets, one that Dangerous Things used to sell
| (discontinued due to low volume) is encased in titanium, even
| better than bioglass. I have it in a finger and it'll last
| until I get it removed or die.
|
| I also have an RFID/NFC implant and currently use it to get
| into my apartment. Have also used it for work and school cards
| in the past, it's easy to write new cards to it if the chip in
| the card is one that can be easily copied (most can).
| do_not_redeem wrote:
| I'd love to get a contactless payment card implanted in my
| hand, it would be like paying with magic at the shops. But I
| suspect those can't be cloned.
| OuterVale wrote:
| It's possible to make implantables with some banks through
| the same methods as wearables, which is pretty convenient.
| Otherwise, the option is to take your card and (assuming
| it's of the correct type) cut out the chip inside and coat
| it to make it safe for implantation. I'm aware of at least
| one business that offers turning credit cards into implants
| as a service. Cloning is pretty much a no-go as you
| suspected.
| do_not_redeem wrote:
| Can it be done with some kind of reprogrammable chip? I
| could see myself getting the surgery once, but I
| definitely don't want surgery every 3 years every time
| the expiration date on my card resets (or whenever I
| change banks, etc)
| nhecker wrote:
| You would need not only to cut out and implant the chip
| itself, but the sizeable loop antenna that runs in a
| rectangle close to the perimeter of the NFC card. It'd be
| a hassle!
| gkhartman wrote:
| When I read the bit about feeling a microwave oven running, it
| made me wonder what those revolving TSA scanners would feel like
| by comparison.
| markx2 wrote:
| I felt nothing. Been through UK/US customs a few times with a
| magnet in one finger and 3 rfid implants and I felt nothing.
| Nothing was detected.
|
| Maybe the magnet was detected but as I have my hands out and
| fingers spread a visual check would dismiss any threat. The
| same could be said for non-magnetic steel implants I have - one
| in each hand.
| brador wrote:
| You can get the same effect by gluing the magnet to the outside
| skin. It's not as cool but feeling EM is awesome and you can glue
| a variety of strengths. Fingertips.
| Gasp0de wrote:
| While it sure looks like fun, it doesn't really seem useful. All
| the use cases the author makes are more gimmicks than anything
| really useful. Actually, the thing influencing compasses seems
| really annoying. You'll never be able to have your smartphone
| show the correct walking direction while holding it in the hand
| with the magnet.
| LeroyRaz wrote:
| Why not just wear gloves with embedded magnets? I don't
| understand the benefit of implanting the magnet.
|
| Implanting seems to come with several drawbacks: infection risk,
| difficulty of removal if undergoing an MRI, and difficulty
| passing through security checkpoints.
|
| The advantage is... Saving 5 seconds when compared to just
| wearing a glove with magnets in it? A glove would also likely
| provide far far better sensing (more and stronger magnets better
| placed).
| xkcd-sucks wrote:
| Closer proximity to all the different vibration sensors in the
| skin helps with sensitivity as the bulk skin mass kind of acts
| as a low pass filter -- Consider the sensitivity with which you
| feel a splinter vs the sensitivity of that object on the skin
| surface.
|
| Also, some people just seem to have a fetish for poking metal
| bits into themselves.
|
| Maybe it's good for first dates or something, "wanna feel the
| lumps in my hand" is a bit more intimate than "wanna feel my
| glove"
| fred_is_fred wrote:
| Wearing magnetic gloves to a first date is a great way to not
| get a second one for sure.
| _heimdall wrote:
| I really don't get the point in the example of a magnet implanted
| in the hand. When I drop a screw its either easily picked up with
| my fingers, or in a place my hand doesn't fit at all. If you
| really expect to drop small, ferrous objects frequently why not
| just carry a small magnet, or better yet one of those extending
| wands with a magnet on the end?
|
| The second use case of dragging paper clips is even more
| confusing. I get the novelty I guess, but that's really worth the
| risk of the magnet hurting you in some way?
|
| They mentioned it being strong enough to pick up scissors or a
| knife, that seems like a pretty easy way to accidentally slice
| open the side of your hand. The risk of coming across another
| strong magnet that snaps onto the meet of your hand also seems
| like it could be really annoying and painful, like pinching the
| side of your hand in a drawer.
| Fokamul wrote:
| It's clearly for fun and giggles, after few years you will
| forget about it, and maybe get and appointment for MRI. :)
| cnlevy wrote:
| Please leave your finger at the reception desk :)
| markx2 wrote:
| It is absolutely for amusing fun.
|
| "I bet I can lift that paperclip 6 inches off the table with
| one finger"
|
| Mine is not strong enough to lift much more than a paperclip.
| However, I have many magnetic fidget toys and when one of those
| attracts to the finger magnet it does strongly which impedes
| blood flow to the skin in the middle. It's the same as a kid
| swallowing one bucky ball - probably does nothing - but if they
| swallow another, and they attract through tissue, problems.
| nuancebydefault wrote:
| Feeling electrical current without being electrocuted seems
| very useful to me!
| runjake wrote:
| If you're interested in experimenting this, but don't want an
| implant, you can buy magnetic rings (for your fingers). Why do
| these exist? Magicians.
|
| They can be non-surgically removed prior to MRIs, instead of
| during.
|
| https://www.amazon.com/s?k=magnet+ring
| mobilejdral wrote:
| I have had one of these for years and the right size makes all
| the difference. Some fun things include the ability to feel
| where the metal studs are in building walls, where the
| electrical lines are under the ground and of course the
| microwave. The most interesting part is how I conceptually had
| thought of electrical fields as 2d (because of pictures and
| school), but in reality they are 3d and so it is like reaching
| into a sphere of various sizes, the deeper you go in this
| sphere the stronger the field.
| nhecker wrote:
| May I ask if you have a recommended style or material that
| you prefer for sensing? The idea of sensing EM fields is
| fascinating to me but I've never quite made the leap to an
| implant. I didn't realize these kinds of rings exist.
| mobilejdral wrote:
| If you mean ring type I don't remember which one worked
| best, sorry.
|
| As for my favorite EM field there is a nearby street with
| buried powers lines and transformer boxes at ground level.
| As you walk the street to the main street each box has a
| bigger EM sphere and I like to let my hand coast over each
| sphere. It isn't a sphere per say, but only in the sense
| that at at certain depth in the field the density (for lack
| of a better term) becomes high enough that I can feel it
| and it is like a boundary line
| dgfitz wrote:
| I always thought the "feelSpace belt" was neat.
|
| https://www.wired.com/2007/04/esp/
| kundi wrote:
| I think you misunderstood what Biohacking is and replaced it with
| body modification.
| bArray wrote:
| I think the 'killer app' is missing here. If it was stand-alone
| tech, as a platform for something cool I would be considering
| inputs and outputs (HCI).
|
| Personally I would be looking for a small microchip that could be
| charged externally and is able to interact with other devices.
| Potential applications:
|
| * Some form of key storage where computation can be performed.
| Not just credit cards, passwords, but something more versatile
| and expandable.
|
| * Connection to devices or hardware for personalisation, i.e. you
| could indicate to any car you drive your personal preferences, or
| where to query them. More day-to-day for tech people would be
| using a colleague's computer and having your mouse sensitivity
| preferences transferred, editor shortcuts available, etc.
|
| * Constant health monitoring (movement, glucose, VO2, etc). We
| can get these things from watches and patches, but we ultimately
| have to take them off at some point to charge and to let our skin
| breath.
|
| Ultimately, for most people the question that needs to be
| answered is "why would I, an otherwise healthy person, have a
| surgery with non-zero risk, to insert X? Why would I not just use
| X device?".
|
| Some kind of low-risk and non-evasive interface to the brain
| would be a game changer. Some kind of interface to intended
| muscle actions could be big too, not just for the disabled but
| for exoskeleton functionality. I can definitely see an
| exoskeleton (of some kind) help older people remain more mobile
| (and economically productive) for longer. Normal jobs would have
| less wear and tear on the body (i.e. building trade, etc).
| ilrwbwrkhv wrote:
| This used to be a huge craze back in the early internet. I did a
| couple of interesting magnet stuff myself and also zapping the
| back of the brain with electricity.
| ThinkBeat wrote:
| I am not familiar with with the rules for piercers and I am
| certain they are different in different countries but what from
| of anaesthetics are they legally allowed to administer and at
| what strength?
|
| Or do you just bite down on a bullet?
| doubled112 wrote:
| As far as I knew, there's no anesthetic when you're getting a
| piercing. I'm in Canada.
|
| You just hold your friend's hand real tight.
| Spivak wrote:
| Yep, but you do get one advantage which is the needles
| piercers use are incredibly sharp. It can be a huge (in
| diameter) needle but it will feel like a pinprick.
| mcluck wrote:
| At least in the US, you just bite down. At best they can apply
| some over-the-counter lidocaine
|
| Source: I got an NFC tag in my hand
| ThinkBeat wrote:
| How about having a skin pocket made in the same location so you
| could pull it in and out upgrade / remove
| sandspar wrote:
| Interesting project. Not something I'd do myself! If you look at
| your past, did anything foreshadow that you'd one day do this?
| Like you played a game with a modified character or something
| like that? Also, one semi-serious question: what does your mom
| think of it?
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