Science & Society (Cyborg 1.0, 1998) of Kevin Warwick Neodymium Magnets Biohacking who implanted a radio frequency[72_TD$IF] identifi- A wide range of species in nature Ali K. Yetisen1,2,3,* cation (RFID) tag to his arm in order to (including homing pigeons and bats) control electronic devices. In another are known to use magnetoreception Biohacking is a do-it-yourself citi- experiment, a multielectrode array was for sensing orientation and navigation ’ zen science merging body modifi- implanted in Warwick s arm to create a [9]. Inspired from magnetoreception, neural interface, which allowed controlling implantable neodymium magnets (N52 cation with technology. The a robotic arm and establishing telepathy Gauss) have been developed for in vivo motivations of biohackers include system with another human implantee via use (Figure 1A). These implantable mag- cybernetic exploration, personal the Internet [5]. Self-experimentation with nets allow feeling electromagnetic forces data acquisition, and advocating biomaterials has also been popularized by tactile sensation. They can be also for privacy rights and open-source with the performance art works of Stelarc, used to activate magnetic reed switches medicine. The emergence of a bio- who had a scaffold implanted in his arm and Hall effect sensors. Subdermal hacking community has influenced (Third Ear, 2007) [6]. The synergy of implants have been tested in seven discussions of cultural values, cybernetics, biopunk, and citizen science humans and compared to a control medical ethics, safety, and con- has led to the formation of a media-activ- groupinwhichtheimplantsweresuper- sent in transhumanist technology. ist biohacking community. Figures in this ficially attached to their skin. The transhumanist community include Amal implanted group required less force than Epidermal electronics, biosensors, and Graafstra (tagger), Tim Cannon, Lepht the control group to perceive an electro- artificial intelligence have converged as Anonym, and Neil Harbisson. These tech- magnetic stimulus (I.M. Harrison, PhD healthcare technologies to monitor nology activists, also known as grinders, Thesis, University of Reading, 2014). In patients in point-of-care settings within implant chips in their bodies or have them another case, the biohacker Rich Lee the Internet of Things (IoT) [1]. These tech- implanted. Their primary motivations implanted magnets into the tragus of nologies have created a community of include human–electronic device com- his ears to receive audio signal from a hobbyist software developers involved munication and self-quantification, and coil of an electromagnetic wire con- in the quantified-self movement [2]. The cosmetic enhancement [7]. Another over- nected to a smartphone (Figure 1B). self-experimentalist community is primar- arching goal of this community is to ily interested in tracking their daily physical increase scientific literacy as citizen sci- RFID/NFC Chips and biochemical activities to build a library entists. The biohacking community is Implantable RFID tags are powered by an of personal informatics in order to main- actively engaged in the development of external energy source [10]. However, tain a healthy lifestyle or improve body off-the-shelf protocols at low cost, open active RFID implants feature an embed- performance. The growing interest in this access research and collaboration by cre- ded battery that can communicate within ‘tech-savvy’ community has motivated ating individual pursuit of inquiry [8]. Bio- a body area network. They also have the questioning the possibility of experiment- hackers document and share their ability to connect to IoT via Bluetooth in a ing with implantable technologies. The protocols, equipment designs, and expe- continuous or on command mode at long emergence of implantables for biometric riences on the Internet (i–vii). distances. Former Verichip Corporation animal identification has encouraged self- (now PositiveID) has offered an FDA- experimentalists to chipify themselves in Implantable Technologies approved RFID chip for implantation in order to interact with computers in the IoT Commercial or homemade implants are human body to reveal biometric informa- [3]. Inspired by transhumanism, which commonly inserted to the body via tion (Figure 1C) [11]. This passive implant advocates the enhancement of human hypodermic needles or surgical incision. consisted of a RFID circuit, a capacitor, body and intelligence by technology, A common feature of these implants is and an antenna encapsulated in a medi- the overlap between self-experimentation that they are coated with a layer that cal-grade glass coated with antimigration and medical implant domains has created reduces the immune reaction (bioproof- film. This technology was designed to a vision to modify the human body and ing). These protective coatings include identify the medical history of uncon- document their experiences in social cylindrical medical-grade borosilicate scious patients in an emergency situation. media for open-source medicine [4]. glass capsules, Parylene C, polytetra- Early biohackers mainly employed fluoroethylene, titanium nitride, and sili- uncoated RFID capsules such as The movement of biohacking has begun cone. Table 1 lists implants used by EM4102 (FAREAD) and HITAG 2048S with a self-experimentation project biohackers. (NXP) (Figure 1D). The Supplemental[73_TD$IF] 744 Trends in Biotechnology, August 2018, Vol. 36, No. 8 Table 1. Implants Used by Biohackers, and Their Properties Implant Features Geometry/size Implantation method Implantation site Neodymium magnets Coated with titanium nitride Disc (3 Â 1 mm) Surgical incision Fingers MF1 IC S50 (NXP) 13.56 MHz (ISO14443A) Cylindrical glass capsule Hypodermic needle (9 g) Hand webbing Emulates MF1ICS50 1k chip (3 Â 13 mm) 7 byte UID & writable sectors NTAG216 chip (NXP) 13.56 MHz (ISO14443A) and Cylindrical glass capsule Hypodermic needle (11 g)[70_TD$IF] Hand webbing NFC Type 2 (2 Â 12 mm) 7 byte UID and 880 bytes of user read/write memory ATA5577 RFID chipset 125–134 kHz (ISO11784/ Cylindrical glass capsule Hypodermic needle (11 g)[70_TD$IF] Hand webbing (Atmel) 785) (2 Â 12 mm) EM41xx/EM4200/HID/ Indala compatible I-CODE SLI RFID chipset 13.56 MHz (ISO15693) Cylindrical glass capsule Hypodermic needle (11 g)[70_TD$IF] Hand webbing (NXP) 8 byte UID and 112 bytes of (2 Â 12 mm) user read/write memory Bio-Thermo LifeChip RFID 134.2 kHz (ISO11784/ Cylindrical glass capsule Hypodermic needle (11 g)[70_TD$IF] Skin near the arm pit tag (Destron Fearing) 11785) (2 Â 12 mm) Temperature sensor (25[71_TD$IF] – 43C) DESFire EV1 RFID chip (NXP) 13.56 MHz (ISO14443A and Polymer coating 11 mm wide incision Arm NFC Type 4) (10 Â 22 Â 0.5 mm) NTAG216 RFID chip (NXP) 13.56 MHz (ISO14443A and Polymer coating 9 mm wide incision Arm NFC Type 2) (8 Â 22 Â 0.4 mm) Tritium lighting implants Radioluminescent tritium gas Cylindrical borosilicate glass Hypodermic needle (8–9 g) Hand webbing (Cyberise.me) and lead oxide capsule (3 Â 5 Â 21 mm) LEDs (Northstar, Grindhouse Chip containing a processor, Polymer coating Surgical incision Hand/forearm Wetware) LED, and embedded batteries Information online describes the implan- Additionally, Grindhouse Wetware bio- This sensor has an antimigration coating tation experience showing the proce- hackers have implanted an active optical (BioBond) and is implanted through a dures used by biohackers to implant device (Northstar V1) in their hands hypodermic needle to the arm near the active and passive devices, and it (Figure 1F). This optical device featured armpit. A Grindhouse Wetware biohacker discusses RFID communication light-emitting diodes (LEDs), an embedded surgically implanted a battery-powered technologies. battery, and a magnetically activated microchip (Circadia 1.0) in his forearm switch. Next-generation implantable devi- (Figure 1G). The implant transferred tem- Light Sources ces may offer a rechargeable battery, ges- peraturedatatoatablet computerviaBlue- Optical materials and devices have been ture recognition, and Bluetooth tooth connection. Such implants can be subcutaneously implanted for cosmetic connection. designed to measure other physical and purposes. One such implant utilizes the biochemical parameters such as pressure decay of tritium gas that emits b particles. Implantable Sensors and biomarkers in real time. This effect combined with phosphor emits Temperature sensors have been utilized to photons and produces radioluminescence measure body temperature by biohackers. Safety Implications (Figure 1E). Layers of lead oxide glass and For example, originally designed for veteri- Medical devices need to be sterilized medical-grade glass have been used to nary applications, Bio-Thermo (LifeChip, before implantation to the body to kill coat the surface of a tritium capsule to Destron Fearing) continually temperature pathogens. Sterilization of implants can minimize the emitted radiation. data with a detection range of 25[74_TD$IF] –43C. be achieved by autoclaving or Trends in Biotechnology, August 2018, Vol. 36, No. 8 745 (A) (B) (C) (D) obtain personal information to justify secu- rity reasons within democratic principles. In the United States, laws in a few states (Wis- consin, North Dakota, and California) pro- tect citizens from involuntary or incentivized chip implantation. For example, Wisconsin Act 482 prohibits caregivers to coerce a patient to involuntarily have a chip implanted (E) (F) (G) for their safety. Furthermore, the American Medical Association drafted