Magnetic implant

Magnetic implantation is an experimental procedure in which small, powerful magnets (neodymium) are inserted beneath the skin, often in the tips of fingers. They exist in tubes and discs. This procedure is popular among biohackers and grinders, but remains experimental.[1] Magnetic implants are often performed by amateurs at home, using readily available surgical tools and magnets found online. However, some professional body modification shops do perform implant surgeries.[2] Magnetic implants can also be used as an interface for portable devices to create other new "senses", for example converting other sensory inputs such as ultrasonic or infra-red into a touch sensation. In this way the individual could 'feel' e.g. the distance to objects.[3]

A magnetic implant lifting a bottle cap

Purpose

Though magnetic implants can be used to pick up small metal objects, the main purpose of getting an implant is in order to gain sensory perception of magnetic fields. After a magnet is implanted underneath the epidermal layer of the skin, nerves grow around the magnet as the skin heals.[4] The magnet pushes against magnetic fields produced by electronic devices in the surrounding area, pushing against the nerves and giving a "sixth sense" of magnetic vision. Some people prefer to have multiple implants in several fingers in order to get a more "3D" view of the magnetic fields around them, but one magnetic implant is enough to be able to feel magnetic fields. This means that people with magnetic implants have sensations of running electric motors, electronic circuits, appliances, and even wires.[2]

Magnets and coatings
A magnet in the process of insertion into the tip of the ring finger

The magnets used for implantation must be carefully selected and coated in order to successfully implant them. Size is important in this consideration, as too large of a magnet obstructs blood vessels and is likely to reject, or push out of the skin. For this reason, the most common magnet size is a 3×1mm neodymium disk magnet. Usually the magnets used are of the highest strength available, as a stronger magnet leads to higher magnetic field sensitivity. Perhaps the most important consideration is a coating for the magnet, as typical neodymium disk magnets are not suitable for implantation. Magnets must be coated in an inert and biosafe material, so the body does not attack the magnet. Popular magnet coatings include implant grade silicone, titanium nitride, gold and rhodium. Disc-magnets are implanted with a scalpel, tubes are inserted by syringe. Procedures are often done either without anaesthesia, or, in some cases, ice water, due to legal issues regarding purchase of anaesthesia versus usage of numbing substances such as alcohol or cold.

History

Magnet implantation was first theorized in the mid 1990s by Steve Haworth and Jesse Jarrel, both body modification experts. Initially, the implants were designed to connect to rings or horns outside of the body, and were purely cosmetic. However, after talking to a friend who had a piece of steel lodged into his finger which allowed him to sense the presence of magnetic fields, Haworth realised that small magnets could be implanted in order to achieve this effect more efficiently.[5] Since then, several companies have sold bio-safe, implantable magnets.

Lifespan

Typical 3×1mm neodymium magnets have been reported to last on average five years implanted into finger extremities before body heat reduces the effectiveness of the implant.[6] There have been no studies on magnetising implants after they have lost magnetisation other than removing and re-implanting a new magnet into a new site due to scar tissue formation preventing nerve sensation and reentry.

There are three primary causes for magnets to lose sensitivity – the ability for you to sense magnetic fields.[7]

Field strength decline

The magnetic field strength of a magnet can naturally decline very slowly over many many years, however total losses are negligible and certainly not detectable without extremely sensitive field strength meters. However there are direct causes which can affect magnetic field strength, such as forcing like poles together or severe mechanical impact. Forcing like poles together so the magnets repel each other can result in what’s called hysteresis loss, though it requires a considerably stronger opposing magnetic force to regularly act on the implanted magnet to cause any significant loss, which is unlikely. Severe impacts can physically jostle the atomic structure of the magnet, causing some magnetic domains to change direction or realign differently, causing some loss.

Tactile nerve displacement

Depending on the location of your magnetic implant, how your body heals, and how it develops scar tissue over time, you may begin to experience less tactile nerve activation over time as scar tissue slowly grows around the implant site, forcing tactile nerves further and further away from the implant. This does occur with some regularity, however it typically takes several years to be noticeable, and sensitivity loss is usually minor. More often than not, loss of sensitivity occurs due to corrosion of the magnet, either inside the encapsulation through or due to encapsulation failure.

Corrosion

Neodymium magnets contain a large amount of iron by volume, and iron is easily corroded by common elements such as oxygen and water. Magnet corrosion occurs when these elements become trapped inside during the encapsulation process, which can cause slow corrosive effect, or the encapsulation fails and allows corrosive elements to come into contact with the magnet. Catastrophic encapsulation failures are usually obvious, resulting in tenderness, discoloration of the skin, and a slight inflammatory response. Small failures however can take much longer to become obvious, resulting in a slow degradation of field strength without many external signs that something is slowly going wrong with the magnet.[8]

Safety

Infection

Infection has also been cited as a source of failure within RFID and related microchip implanted individuals.[9] Either due to improper implantation techniques, implant rejections of corrosion of implant elements.

MRI's

Concern has been raised and investigated independently by various journalists and bodies on the nature of safety of being implanted and their proximity to MRI machines. So far no common conclusive investigation has been done in the matter of each individual type of implant and it's risks involved near MRI's other than anecdotal reports ranging from no problems occurring with MRI machines, to requiring hand shielding before proximity, to outright denial of proximity due to danger.[10]

Transhumanism is a movement related by the implants and their relation to trans human qualities of which microchipped/sub-dermal implanted individuals are commonly grouped together with.[11]

References
  1. I.Harrison, K.Warwick and V.Ruiz (2018), "Subdermal Magnetic Implants: An Experimental Study", Cybernetics and Systems, 49(2), 122-150.
  2. Dvorsky, George. "What You Need to Know About Getting Magnetic Finger Implants". Retrieved 2016-09-30.
  3. J.Hameed, I.Harrison, M.Gasson and K.Warwick,“A Novel Human-Machine Interface using Subdermal Magnetic Implants”, Proc. IEEE International Conference on Cybernetic Intelligent Systems, Reading, pp. 106-110, Sept. 2010
  4. "Magnetic FAQ". Retrieved 2016-09-30.
  5. Adam Ford (2013-01-23), Steve Haworth - Interview, retrieved 2016-09-30
  6. Robertson, Adi (2017-07-21). "I hacked my body for a future that never came". The Verge. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
  7. "Titan sensing biomagnet | RFID & NFC Chip Implants and Biohacking products". Dangerous Things. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  8. Eliaz, Noam (2019-01-28). "Corrosion of Metallic Biomaterials: A Review". Materials. 12 (3). doi:10.3390/ma12030407. ISSN 1996-1944. PMC 6384782. PMID 30696087.
  9. Schiffmann, Alain & Clauss, Martin & Honigmann, Philipp. (2020). Biohackers and Self-Made Problems: Infection of an Implanted RFID/NFC Chip: A Case Report. JBJS Case Connector. 10. e0399-e0399. 10.2106/JBJS.CC.19.00399.
  10. Robertson, Adi (2017-07-21). "I hacked my body for a future that never came". The Verge. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  11. Gillan, Fraser (2019-10-06). "The transhumanists 'upgrading' their bodies". BBC News. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
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