- Our bodies could be swapped out with robot parts as soon as 2070
- A robotics expert says in the near future people will buy upgraded body parts
- 'Biohackers' are already 'upgrading' their bodies with microchip implants
WHAT IS BIOHACKING?
Biohackers, or grinders, are people who hack their own bodies with do-it-yourself devices.
They practice body modification in an effort to extend and improve human capabilities.
They usually turn to body modification experts like piercing artists to perform the implant procedures - but many do it themselves too.
One of the first biohackers was Kevin Warwick, an engineer and the Vice-Chancellor at Coventry University who had an RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) chip implanted into his arm which allowed him to control devices such as lights by simply snapping his fingers.
Professor Kevin Warwick undertook a ground-breaking experiment with an implanted computer chip in his arm. Professor Warwick became the first human cyborg by implanting a computer chip in his arm to control machines with signals from his brain
A Utah based biohacker named Rich Lee has six implants; one in each ear that serve as headphones, two magnets in two different fingertips for feeling magnetic fields, an NFC (Near Field Communication) chip in his hand for controlling devices and a bio-therm chip in his forearm for monitoring temperature.
The first implant was a finger magnet, which he got because 'the thought of being able to feel an invisible force and gain a new sense was too intriguing to pass up.'
He explains that he used to have implants in his shins to see how well they would protect his bones from impact.
While a few of the implants were done himself, most were carried out by body modification experts such as piercing artists.READ MORE: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5345095/Our-bodies-upgraded-robotic-parts-2070.html#ixzz568lMsvMY
Rich Lee receiving an implant in his hand. He usually asks body modification artists to do the procedures for him, but he's done a few on himself when he thinks the risk is extremely limited