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[SealyStar]

The first cyborg implants I want are configurable computer retinas. So I can fix my red-green color deficiency (and that of a good some million other guys). Or fix all forms of colorblindness. Or let people see in deliberately abnormal "palettes" just for aesthetics. Or let humans see in infrared. And so on.

[kisame12794]

Hrmm. I dunno. Bah. For me, it was more the extra "sense" than being able to call myself a cyborg. Hrmmm. I wonder what welding would feel like if I had those. Dammit curiosity! Stop that. Now that I think of it, I can see an immediate disadvantage, in that metal filings would now stick to my fingers. And now I see a new advantage in that I can narrow down the identity of an unknown metal just by touching it. Dammit brain! No!

[MetalSlimeHunt]

The first cyborg implants I want are configurable computer retinas. So I can fix my red-green color deficiency (and that of a good some million other guys). Or fix all forms of colorblindness. Or let people see in deliberately abnormal "palettes" just for aesthetics. Or let humans see in infrared. And so on.

It would be much easier just to get gene therapy and give yourself a non-colorblind gene.

As for seeing in infrared, it's worth pointing out that this would likely mean losing the ability to distinguish purple and black, since you're shifting your visual range but your brain remains the same.

Hrmm. I dunno. Bah. For me, it was more the extra "sense" than being able to call myself a cyborg. Hrmmm. I wonder what welding would feel like if I had those. Dammit curiosity! Stop that. Now that I think of it, I can see an immediate disadvantage, in that metal filings would now stick to my fingers. And now I see a new advantage in that I can narrow down the identity of an unknown metal just by touching it. Dammit brain! No!

What I'm most interested in is how this effects neuroplasticity. Humans have been demonstrated to have a very high degree of it, with the brain developing fallback systems in response to damage and people being able to control things hooked to their brain that they don't "have". Or have extras of, in the case of the guy that learned to use a robotic arm while still having both of his normal arms.

If humans can develop a neoplasticity-derived magnetoception just from having a magnet in one's finger, it brings the question of what our limits are and how less crude modifications would be sensed. Sadly, there's no research to distinguish whether it is simply stimulating the touch nerves or being interpreted by the brain in a different way.

....I wonder if anybody would give me a research grant for that.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Well, lucky for you it isn't that invasive. I hope you like scalpels and searching for very open-minded body modders/doctors.

[kisame12794]

Kickstarter? I dunno. If you pitch it the right way, someone may listen, especially if the transhumanist movement continues rising. I know that I would pay to have magnets in my fingers IF done by a professional with proper training and equipment. And Cmega, from what I understand, all they do is slice the tip of your finger open, insert magnet, close the incision. Not to invasive, but as to the lack of anesthetic...

[MetalSlimeHunt]

The problem with Kickstarter is that this is very legally grey. As far as anyone knows, no body modders have actually gotten in trouble for doing it, but it could be interpreted as an illegal medical procedure. I've never heard of anybody convincing any actual doctor to do it, so they're certainly afraid of the repercussions.

The legal status of body modders are going to be very important for early human modification technology, at least until such a time that this sort of thing gets processed by the FDA. Body modders and transhumanists. There's a pair of strange bedfellows if there's ever been one.

[smirk]

The question, then, is what does it take for something to become an accepted medical procedure? Being able to sense electrical fields and/or navigate like a pigeon seems like it would be marginally more useful than cosmetic surgeries like breast enhancement, and those are commonplace.

[Sirus]

Yeah, but I'm guessing that having magnets in your fingertips can't be good for certain electronics. Or if you need an MRI for whatever reason.

[Graknorke]

Yeah, but I'm guessing that having magnets in your fingertips can't be good for certain electronics. Or if you need an MRI for whatever reason.

Yo dawg, I heard you like unnecessary and dangerous surgeries.

[Putnam]

So I wrote some music to a poem in a community game.

While idly playing the piano next to me, I suddenly that the melody for the verse is near-identical to the theme from Mappy, a game that I have never played.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

The question, then, is what does it take for something to become an accepted medical procedure? Being able to sense electrical fields and/or navigate like a pigeon seems like it would be marginally more useful than cosmetic surgeries like breast enhancement, and those are commonplace.

Well, this whole thing was started by a very enterprising electrician (Remember what I said about being able to sense if a wire is live or dead just by being near it? Yeah, very useful in electrical work.).

If I understand how it works correctly, all you would really have to do is apply it as an elective procedure to the FDA, do studies proving it is safe and effective enough to officially be on the market, and theoretically it will be fully legal for doctors to do. The problem is that this takes obscene amounts of money, and if it fails it weakens the legal status of it. The potential for failure is there, given the problems with neodymium, though it has been suggested that the broken seal problem could be solved by replacing the usual plastic composite with titanium or gold (as far as I know, nobody has ever actually tried either).

Yeah, but I'm guessing that having magnets in your fingertips can't be good for certain electronics. Or if you need an MRI for whatever reason.

As I said earlier, it isn't strong enough to damage electronics. So far, there have been exactly zero reports of hard drive wipes, or even credit card wipes, as a result of neodymium implants. They're small and inside your finger, you need more power than that.

I haven't heard any reports on MRI's actually harming anybody because of this, but that might be because it hasn't actually happened yet. Most people who get them just inform their doctors and have a notice on their record to keep the hand in question under lead during any MRIs.

[Sirus]

@ MSH

Okay, good to know. I'd still be hesitant about using touchscreen devices though. I also wouldn't think that this would be the body mod of choice for people who work near powerful magnets on a regular basis.

[lordcooper]

Hrmm. The neodymium implants are interesting. I have to admit, I am kinda tempted to do it, but after reading that article, I'm willing to wait until the method is improved, as I rather dislike the idea of slicing open your fingers without anesthesia.

Take a small to moderate dose of ketamine beforehand and you'll barely feel a thing.  I broke my thumb while on the stuff and didn't even notice for a few hours.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Okay, good to know. I'd still be hesitant about using touchscreen devices though.

(Most) touchscreens operate based upon body capacitance, which I don't see any reason for it to destroy. This isn't a big magnet, it's as small as possible since you only need to feel it try to move.

I also wouldn't think that this would be the body mod of choice for people who work near powerful magnets on a regular basis.

Don't know what to tell you. All I'm aware of is that this is definitely something that is used by some, or at least one, electrician(s).

[kisame12794]

Hrmm. Still, I'm unsure what the effects would be for welding, because of the large amounts of heat, electrical current, magnetic fields, and metal would do to the implants. I'd rather not rip them out of my fingers, thank you VERY much.