Let us begin by saying that there is no way you should ever try anything like this at home. Biohacker Tim Cannon created a device that he calls Circadian;  it is a biometric measuring tool that can send Cannon’s data to an Android mobile device. It is the first non-medical bio-implant to ever be installed in a human body.

The video from Motherboard shows just how large the implant is. Cannon had it inserted by a fellow DIY biohacker rather than a surgeon; right after the procedure, understandably, the implant looks red and irritated. No anesthesia was used during the implantation process, making Tim Cannon seem like a super-tough dude who is dedicated to his cause.

Besides measuring biometric data like Cannon’s body temperature, the Circadian lights up in line with Cannon’s existing forearm tattoo. An Android app keeps track of changes over the days so that Cannon can track his overall health.

The implant is rather large and has pointy corners; we predict that eventually Cannon will develop a thinner and more streamlined device that won’t stick up and poke at the skin quite so much. The project is opening doors for future biometric implants – hopefully those that have a more streamlined and less bulky outline.

The post DIY Subdermal Implant Makes Cyborg Out of Regular Person first appeared on Gajitz.

Having a limb amputated can be one of the most traumatic and life-changing experiences of a person’s life. After the operation, amputees often feel out of place and conspicuous. Artist and special effects expert Sophie de Oliveira Barata helps amputees reduce those negative feelings by creating incredible prostheses that reflect the personalities of their owners.

While Sophie does make shockingly realistic prosthetic limbs, her bespoke alternative limbs are where she really shines. She gets to know her clients, taking their personalities, hobbies, and imaginations into account when designing their new limbs. Her practice is known as The Alternative Limb Project.

The goal of these very noticeable limbs is to stop hiding amputees’ disabilities and highlight them in a positive way. The artist wants to draw attention to what her clients do have, not what they have lost.

The artistic prostheses give power back to amputees by letting them display their personalities in a way that is completely unique and will never be duplicated. They are wearable pieces of art that are, quite literally, part of the wearer’s body.

Most of Sophie’s clients have natural-looking prostheses that they wear on a day-to-day basis. The artistic creations are worn on special occasions, much like an expensive dress or an eye-catching piece of jewelry. They can be fantastic talking points and give the wearer a sense of confidence and beauty that they may have not felt after becoming disabled.

The post Unique Prosthetic Limbs Highlight Wearers’ Personalities first appeared on Gajitz.

There is a body modification subculture that makes alterations to improve one’s quality of life. Its members are called grinders, and one in particular has modified his senses in a very thought-provoking way. Rich Lee is partially blind and his condition will eventually render him sightless. As a practicing grinder, he had a magnet installed behind his ear that will act as a speaker.

The magnet is connected to a coil that hangs around his neck. It magnifies sound, not only allowing him to enjoy music, but giving him echolocation, a system that greatly increases mobility for the seeing impaired. When the magnet and coil are hooked up to an ultrasonic rangefinder, a hum is produced and the sightless can detect people and objects around them, much like the way bats navigate with their hearing. It may be shady and dangerous, but if it ultimately helps, it may be justified and at least opens doors for ‘grinding’ to increase its legitimacy.

The post Body Mod Subculture Gives Disabled People New Hope first appeared on Gajitz.