Rise Of The Cybermen

In a world of very real mad scientists and cyborgs, it’s interesting to consider how these developments will change our daily lives. Technology is already universal and unavoidable. The question is, is it necessary? PCs were only popularized in the 90s, and in less than twenty years, it has become nearly impossible to participate in society without a computer. Smartphones have been common for about a decade, and yet have become so ingrained in daily life that I’ve experienced a phenomenon that I describe as ‘ghost limb’ sensation. My missing appendage: an iPhone. It’s safe to assume that if Smartphones and laptops had never been invented, we would have continued on living seamlessly without them.

Now, the technology to merge man and machine is literally at our fingertips.

In 1998, Kevin Warwick, a professor from the Department of Cybernetics at the University of Reading, began phase one of ‘Project Cyborg,’ his aptly named first attempt at merging man and machine by surgically implanting a chip transponder into his forearm. In phase two, he fitted a second implant in the median nerve fibres of his left arm, allowing him to control an artificial hand and an electronic wheelchair remotely. His practical application of trans-humanist ideas paved the way for future experimentation, and in less than a decade, people have gained access to the tools to build their own ‘improved’ selves.

Body Hackers are an emerging subculture providing a do-it-yourself alternative to Warwick’s academically funded research, using body modification to bridge the gap between reality and fantasy. They advocate for democratic technological advancement through open source information, giving people the chance to make alterations for a truly individualized implant. Experimenters often create their own hardware and software, and in many cases perform their own surgeries. The accessibility of these alterations has created a climate of collaboration and free experimentation among hackers, bridging the gap between humans and the technology that they rely on.

The most common modification, a neodymium magnet implanted into the fingertip, is said to give the wearer a ‘sixth sense’ for technological energy. The procedure is fairly simple, but due to the plethora of nerve endings in our fingertips, incredibly easy to mess up, so most people go to established body piercers. The magnet is first coated in a bio safe substance, usually parylene (a barrier used to coat pacemakers) and then inserted into an incision around a fourth to a half an inch away from the final resting spot for the magnet, often on the ring finger. Once the sensation in the fingertip is recovered, the ‘sixth sense’ develops. Electronic objects emit unique electromagnetic fields, which the magnetic implant responds to by vibrating, buzzing, spinning or producing a tingling sensation unique to each object. The movement of the magnet stimulates the somatosensory receptors in the fingertip, which perceive temperature, pressure and pain, creating a distinct and identifiable sensation. For example, the 60-Hz field given off by many American appliance cords is said to produce a rapid, light buzzing sensation in the modified fingertip. Additionally, it allows the user to determine what material an object is made of (i.e. whether or not an object is ferrous.) Contrary to what some may think, this is not a sensation entirely alien to the natural world; cats are said to be able to sense the magnetic fields produced by the earth. It is intriguing, however, that cats use their ‘extra sense’ to ground them to the natural world, whereas artificial implants alter the natural world in order to better perceive the virtual.

Grindhouse Wetwear is a company that was founded by a team of programmers, engineers and aspiring cyborgs in January 2012. They aim to create new technology to augment humanity. Notably, The Bottlenose v0.1, currently in development, works with an implanted magnet to expand on this newly acquired sixth sense. It attaches to the finger and emits an electromagnetic pulse, then measures the amount of time it takes to bounce back, determining distance. Taking in a far larger breadth of information from thermal data to Wifi, it can create a visual understanding of the space around you using the same basic principles as echolocation. The group is also working on the prototype for a new project which would relay information and messages from your smartphone onto an implant, displaying them on an LED screen that can be seen through the skin. While body hackers view technology as inherently liberating, I lose agency with every Apple upgrade.

I’m not the first to be weary of new technology. Since the Industrial Revolution, man’s relationship with machines has been complex and contradictory, generally alternating between apprehension and unbridled optimism. The Romantics riled against Enlightenment ideas through communing with nature, the Luddites smashed industrial machinery, and I am fervently typing my rebellion on an HP laptop. My other alternative is to drop out of society completely and write a maniacal manifesto from an unplumbed Montana log cabin. There’s really no other way. While progressives usually have merit in the light of hindsight, are they right this time?