Implanting LED Lights under the Skin?

Hey there! Glad you found time in your busy schedule to include a visit to my cybercafé today for a rousingly refreshing mug of java juice and a virtual muffin, doughnut or pastry. Bring it all over to the VIP table and let me 'enlighten' you about the latest wearable technology...although wearable may be a misnomer...

Biohackers are always looking for new ways to enhance their bodies with implantable technology, even if it’s for aesthetic purposes only. The newest augmenting trend involves having LED lights under the skin.

A group of three biohacking aficionados recently had a device called Northstar V1 implanted under the skin of their hands. About the size of a small coin, the chip is designed to emulate bioluminscence, the kind of light naturally produced by fireflies and some jellyfish. When activated by a magnet, the Northstar’s high-definition LEDs will light up in the shape of a star. The device is made up of a printed circuit board with five red Surface-Mounted-Device Light-Emitting Diodes (SMD LEDs) that become activated for 10 seconds whenever a magnet is placed near the included sensor. It is coated in silicone and powered by a 3 volt battery.

Because such augmenting operations contravene the Hippocratic Oath, some biohackers carry out research and perform them themselves , while other rely on professional body modification artists, like Jowan Österlund. He recently implanted the Northstar V1 in the hands of three biohacking enthusiasts at a recent Cyborg Fair, in, Dusseldorf, Germany. He shaved and disinfected the men’s arms before making a small incision in the skin of their hands, inserting the chip and sewing up the skin.

One of the men who got the Northstar V1 implanted was Tim Cannon, founder of Grindhouse Wetwear, the Pittsburgh company that came up with the device. Two years ago, he had a device about the size of a cigarette pack implanted under the skin of his arm. Called Circadia, it was designed to record data from his body and transfer the data to any Android-powered mobile device. Many people had apparently become excited about the Circadia’s LED lights shining from beneath Tim’s skin and wanted their own.

“Many people who saw the lights were very excited. They have been waiting years for something like this,” Canon said. “They asked for them to be made available. We obliged. So, yes, this version of Northstar simply lights up.”

Shawn Sarver, another Grindhouse Wetwear employee who had the Northstar chip implanted in his hand, confirmed that there is a demand for it. “People from the biohacking community wanted it. They contacted us because they wanted to light up their tattoos. That’s how we generate our implants, we let the community inspire us,” he told VICE Motherboard.

For the moment, the device is limited to LED lighting, but Grindhouse Wetwear, hopes to upgrade its functionality, allowing wearers to control various devices using gestures. “Northstar V1, much like piercings and cosmetic surgeries, is purely for aesthetic purposes. It is a simple device that will prove the possibility of implanting technology in the body and will pave the way for more advanced and functional augmentations,” the company said in a press statement.

According to Grindhouse Wetwear, Northstar Version 2 will be a “rechargeable device that adds gesture recognition and Bluetooth capabilities, enabling users to control electronic devices with hand movements, as well as add patterns or colour variations to LED.”

Yeah, wonderful, eh! Now you can really 'light up a party'. Oh, lighten up, will you! You are the light of my life. You look very light on your feet, too.  Shall I go on? I could ramble on for light years! 

When they get to the next stage of development, I could see earlobe implants being a big hit. Light up your own disco! Yup, disco is still alive and kicking.

See ya, eh!

Bob

PS: Cousin Sharon pointed out an error in yesterday's post. My dad and 'three' of his brothers, not two, went overseas during the war. I was looking for this photo but could not find it in time to include it. Cousin Robin had it in his post though so thanks to both cousins and apologies all round for forgetting that Uncle Harry fought in WWII also. My dad is top right and that is their mum, our Gran, in the middle. Sad to say, all four of the brothers as well as the two who were too young to go to war have all passed on. We miss all of you...my dad, Uncle John, Uncle Stan, Uncle Harry, Uncle Bill and Uncle Erban.