Biohacking: A Call for Regulation

Body modification is something that is becoming very prevalent in our society today. Plastic surgery, tattoos, and piercing are all forms of modification we are used to seeing. It's rare to go anywhere, be it a mall or a church, without seeing someone with a tattoo, piercing, or Botox injection. Just sixty years ago, this would be shocking and appalling, but the social stigma surrounding these forms of modification are quickly falling to the wayside. Now a new form of what some consider to be body modification is making its way into the public sphere; these modifications are categorized under the title of "biohacking." One example of this is the sci-fi reminiscent implantation of magnetic chips beneath the skin. What most do not consider, however, is that biohacking goes beyond mere implementation of magnets and enters into the realm of tweaking various types of cells. It is definitely plausible to argue that magnetic implants will someday have the same regulatory rules as a tattoo or a nose piercing, but it would be unacceptable to allow all forms of biohacking to continue with such little interference. Although some consider biohacking to fall into the same category as body modification, biohacking actually has a much broader category of meaning, and, should people insist on its continued existence, the government should regulate it with a very heavy hand.

Because biohacking is gaining increasing popularity, it is important the term is understood and, secondly, that the knowledge gained is used to regulate the movement without completely restricting creativity. The people engaging in biohacking practices perform experiments in labs - some in home basements and others in funded institutions - where they run tests on everything from cells to their own bodies. Some of these people are legitimate and are just trying to increase accessibility and knowledge of molecular biology. It is from this sort of biohacking community that it would be possible to find cures and ways to replace damaged human tissue or limbs. My argument is not that these types of institutions should be put to a stop, but I do believe they should be regulated by the government. Without regulation, too many things could go wrong; just like there is strict regulation on tattoos and piercings so that diseases don't spread, there also should be strict regulation on these types of places so that things are not taken too far.

Other groups of biohackers, especially those performing tests from their own homes, are the people from which the real problem arises. These are the people who have the potential to really harm themselves and others in their experimentation. In fact, they have built up an only community of do-it-at-home biohackers who tinker with things when they don't really know what they are doing. The methods they use, although they have safety suggestions and forums, are actually very dangerous. For example, there are instructions for a device that shoots electric currents through the brain that people can build from home. Inexperienced people are allowed access to all of the DIY information, and they are not required to look at or employ any of the safety precautions. Just like at-home plastic surgery can bring about horrifying results, biohacking has the same potential for damage.

Because of the lack of regulation in these experiments, there are many, many things that could go wrong beyond bodily harm. The possibilities range from creating a new disease to creating a new way to hack computers and phones. Depending on what these people are manipulating or doing, they could unknowingly create a pathological organism which has the potential to seriously affect a certain geographic area or even a much larger proportion of the world. When examining all of the things that could go wrong, it is clear that if biohacking does not come to a stop, it at least need to be watched closely by the government. Regulation was put in place to keep needles sterile in piercing and tattoo parlors because of the potential spread of various forms of Hepatitis and HIV or skin disorders; regulation also needs to be in place for biohacking practices to prevent things like this from happening.

Biohacking does not just have the potential for bodily harm, but also threatens the aforementioned area of cyber safety. As of right now, there are products available which a person can implant into their arm or hand that read bodily health information and send that information to a cellphone or computer. This can alert people to a medical condition they were not previously aware of, or tell someone with a heart condition when their heart rate is too high, and potentially save someone's life. However, despite its possible benefits, this technology has the ability to be used for bad as well. One man allegedly placed a microchip into his hand in order to hack into Android phones. He used this technology to open a webpage on the phone which then downloaded a virus within seconds. If people are allowed to walk around with any sort of device they want to stick in their arm, there will be no way for the rest of the population to protect themselves from cyberattacks. Regulation is especially important in this area.

Although there are potential positive results form biohacking, there are too many negative effects to let it go unregulated. Something as simple as getting a hole put through your earlobe is regulated by rules and specific agencies, so biohacking, which has much more serious implications, most definitely should be as well. If biohacking is to be beneficial to society like most biohackers intend, it must be controlled to keep people who have no experience or those with cruel intentions from doing something harmful to themselves or others.

Exploring New Horizons with Brain Wave Reading Technology

As humans we are constantly searching for something to make us better, smarter, or healthier. We accomplish this goal through developments of new medicine, new discoveries on healthier living, and now, some are saying, transcranial direct-current stimulation. Known as tDCS, this form of human "improvement" requires a person to be hooked up to a battery so that electric currents can course through their brain. Although this treatment is supposedly 100% safe and painless, one must consider the possible long-term implications of a device with this sort of power. Instead of receiving shocks from a machine to improve brain function, there is a safer technology now on the market which can produce some of the same benefits. This device is a newly developed technology by NeuroSky which enables everyone from gamers to health gurus to safely enjoy its products. Their headset allows you to control a game with your brainwaves and increase brain capacity, decrease stress, and improve overall quality of life through meditation; this technology is versatile and has many useful, real-life applications, even beyond gaming and meditating. The technology by NeuroSky provides us with an alternate way to improve life and brain function in a more natural and safe way. You don't have to be shocked by powerful electricity with unknown long-term effects. In fact, you only have to wear a simple and comfortable device.

For many years people have been tossing around the really revolutionary idea of controlling a game with just the human mind. The idea has been portrayed in a good and bad light (bad like in the Bruce Willis movie Surrogates), though the gaming community is more excited about the possibilities than wary of the consequences. With this technology, users could potentially control entire game realms without lifting a finger or opening their mouths. This EEG technology utilizes focus levels to control the outcome in the game, which forces people to improve their brain focus in order to increase their scores. However, at the present levels, people are only able to play simple games such as ZombiePOP whose graphics and storyline are less than impressive for the modern-day gamer. Many are unsure if this headset can be developed enough so that more complex and interesting games can be played. Although very compelling, this technology has a long way to go in order to engage hard-core gamers and stack up against explorative and absorbing video games like Dead Space 2.

Currently more applicable and also available through the headset technology are meditation apps. These apps help monitor, you guessed it, meditation levels. They keep track of stress levels and can teach you how to meditate properly. These are aimed to help people reduce their overall stress, sleep better, and become generally happier individuals. Headspace, one such meditation app, has a Vimeo video which even provides a viewer the impression that after these mediation techniques are mastered, your brain is no longer a mushy blob, but instead a fit little creature ready to run after anything. Despite the somewhat silly imagery, meditation really is a tried and true method for shaping up the brain. People who meditate increase their brain power in a natural and long-lasting way. It is also a much safer practice than tDCS and has the additional benefit of emotional regulation.

Other applications for this sort of technology extend beyond gaming and meditation and head into the field of communication. People who have been effected by speech loss could potentially use this sort of technology to write out sentences or even paragraphs. No longer would they be forced to sit in silence; instead they could formulate and communicate their thoughts and wants. This is done by using the same sort of concentration techniques required to play games like ZombiePOP. This technology is not only safer than tDCS, but it also provides a much greater benefit to society: giving those without a voice a way to communicate.

In a test trial, people suffering from speech loss were hooked up to electrodes, and instructed to concentrate on a letter presented on a screen in front of them. Letter by letter, these people were able to create words using EEG technology that interpreted their brain waves. These words often had errors though, because their brain waves were not always properly read. Researchers claim there are too many things such as bone and skin impeding completely accurate readings. In order to get as precise as possible, a person would have to undergo invasive surgery where an incision would be made in the skull to implant the electrodes directly onto the brain. Even though this technology is not completely perfected, with more trials and testing, it can soon be put to mass use.

The future for this technology is exciting, and despite the work that still needs to be done, there are real benefits to be gained from using it today. People can increase their focus using fun gaming applications and they can learn to meditate and even out their stress levels. These benefits expand the brain and make us better humans without requiring us to send electric shocks through our head. Instead of developing an unsafe, unnatural, and temporary way to increase the working power of the brain, we should focus on perfecting NeuroSky's technology, which provides a much greater benefit to society in the long run.