Neil Harbisson and his partner Moon Ribas are self-proclaimed cyborgs; moreover, they are recognised as cyborgs by the Seattle government and represent a growing trend of body hacking. Body hacking refers to individuals who strive to experiment with technology to improve their bodies. Neil Harbisson, for example, was born colour blind and now has an antenna embedded in his skull, which turns colour into waves, enhancing his perception of colour. His partner, Moon, holds a special microchip allowing her to feel earthquakes anywhere in the world. Harbisson deems himself a 'cyborg artist', and company's across the world are beginning to respond to the hackers needs. US based startup, Dangerous Things, sells implantable radio-frequency ID chips, which can be used to unlock the user's front door. The confusing grey area between medicine and technology leaves body hackers industry in a plateau, though body hackers today are calling for a neutral level of experimentation on men and women. Maggie Delano, a PhD candidate in electrical engineering and computer science at MIT says of the technology, "When certain groups or interests are excluded, even by accident, that changes the way technology evolves."
Neil Harbisson and his partner Moon Ribas are self-proclaimed cyborgs; moreover, they are recognised as cyborgs by the US government and represent a growing trend of body hacking. Body hacking refers to individuals who strive to experiment with technology to improve their bodies. Neil Harbisson, for example, was born colour blind and now has an antenna embedded in his skull, which turns colour into waves, enhancing his perception of colour. His partner, Moon, holds a special microchip allowing her to feel earthquakes anywhere in the world. Harbisson deems himself a 'cyborg artist', and company's across the world are beginning to respond to the hackers needs. Seattle based startup, Dangerous Things, sells implantable radio-frequency ID chips, which can be used to unlock the user's front door. The confusing grey area between medicine and technology leaves body hackers industry in a plateau, though body hackers today are calling for a neutral level of experimentation on men and women. Maggie Delano, a PhD candidate in electrical engineering and computer science at MIT says of the technology, "When certain groups or interests are excluded, even by accident, that changes the way technology evolves."