Under My Skin - A Much Geekier Bio Implant

Wayne State University and the Detroit Medical Center are developing bio implants which do more than just connect to a database. These bio implants use smart sensors, and some actually read brainwaves. The research was led by Dr. Greg Auner, a professor of electrical, computer and bio-medical engineering, and a coordinator for the Smart Sensors and Integrated Microsystems Program within Wayne State University's College of Engineering in Detroit.

These smart sensors could have uses such as helping drugs to target cancerous cells, detect diseases, and also could be used to develop micro machines for delicate surgery. Building these "super sensors" called for a cross disciplinary team of scientists, biochemists, nanotech specialists, and engineers (for the ergonomics).

The sensor reads biological data and converts it into mechanical signals. And all this must be done while the sensor is making the body believe that it is not a foreign body which must be attacked by the body's killer T-cells. Nonetheless, the bio implants will cause the body to react in unexpected ways. As Owoseni, a researcher atUpstate Medical University in Syracuse says, "Biological systems are impossible to predict."

Viable Alternatives

If these are the problems that come with bio sensors, how do we solve them? As long as the device is broadcasting over an open unsecured line, its security can be compromised, but ensuring that you do not have to chew the implant to get it out (or amputate a body part) can go a long way in simplifying matters.

Next: VoIP-based Wrist Strap >>
 

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