3 ms·

I see no implementation details. How do I know the accuracy of the compass? It would suck to be passively sent directional information that was even slightly

by zxexz 10y ago

I see no implementation details. How do I know the accuracy of the compass? It would suck to be passively sent directional information that was even slightly off. What if I don't calibrate it for a few weeks? What happens if I'm not standing straight, instead laying down? Does it go off randomly? Also, I don't see how this qualifies as an implant? In their defense, I can't obviously see anywhere they call it such; the title is just wrong here. It's just a device that sits on top of a couple barbell piercings and vibrates. To be honest, I'm far from impressed. The seemingly new-age-hocus-pocus-spirituality bullshit branding and wording doesn't help either. For 250 quid why not get a watch that provides wrist-facing haptic feedback, maybe attach it via bluetooth to a digital compass?

CaptSpify 10y ago
To me, it seems more like a product that's "testing the waters". I agree it's not actually that impressive, or even an implant, but it's softly treading on politically/ethically dangerous grounds. Most of the "upgrades" we've seen so far are for people who have had accidents/damage. This is the first "optional" off-the-shelf product that I know of. > I see no implementation details I am excited that we're moving this direction in our society, but I strongly think this is where we need open-source hardware and software. I really don't like the idea of giving control of my physical self to a company, even for something as silly as telling me where north is.
- zxexz 10y ago
  I don't really see how this is treading politically/ethically dangerous grounds, definitely not like those magnetic finger implants people have been getting for a few years[0] (I would also say that those are probably one of the first 'off the shelf' upgrades). Totally agree with you about the need for open-source hardware and software, especially for devices that become part of our selves! That's one of the many reasons this device bugs me. [0] http://www.wired.com/2006/06/a-sixth-sense-for-a-wired-world/ http://www.wired.com/2006/06/a-sixth-sense-for-a-wired-world...
  - CaptSpify 10y ago
    > I don't really see how this is treading politically/ethically dangerous grounds... I see it similar to self-driving cars: No matter how good or useful they will be, there will be people who "don't want no robot driving me around". Likewise, there will be people who think that implanting ourselves with computers is an "abomination". From reading that link, it doesn't sound like those are "smart" devices? I think that's where we will see people start to have strong opinions about this.
    - zxexz 10y ago
      > From reading that link, it doesn't sound like those are "smart" devices? You are correct; they are not. The compass device in this story isn't implanted either, it sits atop some piercings on the chest. No smart device is being put under the skin here, either. Food for thought: I met a guy who made an earring that vibrated when he got an incoming SMS. That was a 'smart' device that sat atop a piercing too...
      - CaptSpify 10y ago
        I thought this had some kind of electronics in it though? Maybe I'm mis-understanding the product. > I met a guy who made an earring that vibrated when he got an incoming SMS. That was a 'smart' device that sat atop a piercing too... What makes this product interesting to me is that it's "off-the-shelf". The earing, while cool, is a home-made solution (I'm guessing). And to be clear: I don't think this product is revolutionary, I just find it interesting that things have become so small and cheap that we can do this en-mass.
  - lallysingh 10y ago
    Yeah what's needed here is a basic arduino implant platform.
swampthinker 10y ago
I agree for the most part, but this is technically an implant. It uses a barbell piercing to embed itself into you. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbell_(piercing) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbell_(piercing)
- zxexz 10y ago
  Well, I guess most of my friends have implants! While technically an 'implant', it seems more like this device sits on top of an implant (the barbells). No device is actually being embedded under your skin. But I guess we're just playing with definitions now and not talking about the product itself. :P

by zxexz 10y ago

CaptSpify 10y ago

To me, it seems more like a product that's "testing the waters". I agree it's not actually that impressive, or even an implant, but it's softly treading on politically/ethically dangerous grounds. Most of the "upgrades" we've seen so far are for people who have had accidents/damage. This is the first "optional" off-the-shelf product that I know of. > I see no implementation details I am excited that we're moving this direction in our society, but I strongly think this is where we need open-source hardware and software. I really don't like the idea of giving control of my physical self to a company, even for something as silly as telling me where north is.

zxexz 10y ago
I don't really see how this is treading politically/ethically dangerous grounds, definitely not like those magnetic finger implants people have been getting for a few years[0] (I would also say that those are probably one of the first 'off the shelf' upgrades). Totally agree with you about the need for open-source hardware and software, especially for devices that become part of our selves! That's one of the many reasons this device bugs me. [0] http://www.wired.com/2006/06/a-sixth-sense-for-a-wired-world/ http://www.wired.com/2006/06/a-sixth-sense-for-a-wired-world...
- CaptSpify 10y ago
  > I don't really see how this is treading politically/ethically dangerous grounds... I see it similar to self-driving cars: No matter how good or useful they will be, there will be people who "don't want no robot driving me around". Likewise, there will be people who think that implanting ourselves with computers is an "abomination". From reading that link, it doesn't sound like those are "smart" devices? I think that's where we will see people start to have strong opinions about this.
  - zxexz 10y ago
    > From reading that link, it doesn't sound like those are "smart" devices? You are correct; they are not. The compass device in this story isn't implanted either, it sits atop some piercings on the chest. No smart device is being put under the skin here, either. Food for thought: I met a guy who made an earring that vibrated when he got an incoming SMS. That was a 'smart' device that sat atop a piercing too...
    - CaptSpify 10y ago
      I thought this had some kind of electronics in it though? Maybe I'm mis-understanding the product. > I met a guy who made an earring that vibrated when he got an incoming SMS. That was a 'smart' device that sat atop a piercing too... What makes this product interesting to me is that it's "off-the-shelf". The earing, while cool, is a home-made solution (I'm guessing). And to be clear: I don't think this product is revolutionary, I just find it interesting that things have become so small and cheap that we can do this en-mass.
- lallysingh 10y ago
  Yeah what's needed here is a basic arduino implant platform.

swampthinker 10y ago

I agree for the most part, but this is technically an implant. It uses a barbell piercing to embed itself into you. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbell_(piercing) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbell_(piercing)

zxexz 10y ago
Well, I guess most of my friends have implants! While technically an 'implant', it seems more like this device sits on top of an implant (the barbells). No device is actually being embedded under your skin. But I guess we're just playing with definitions now and not talking about the product itself. :P