Implants for Sensing Magnetic Fields

Okian Warrior writes "Wired is running a story about people who have magnets implanted in their fingertips. As a result they can sense ambient magnetic fields, including whether AC wires are carrying current. From the article: 'The fingertip was chosen because of the high nerve density, and because the hands are constantly interacting with the environment, increasing the chances of sensing electromagnetism in the world.'"

Comments

Great idea

[Anonymous Coward]

Until something happens to the magnet, as documented here. (don't click if you don't want to see a finger being sliced open to remove the magnet)

Re:The Penis is next

[Elwood P Dowd]

Just definitely stay away from MRI machines with that thing.

In case this sounds like a good idea...

[St. Arbirix]

It's not.

Re:In case this sounds like a good idea...

[MustardMan]

A few points...

Tom Brazda is no "hack". He is one of a handful of people who PIONEERED the modern body modification scene. He invented a lot of the tools and techniques that can be found in any piercing studio on the beach today. He helped push the industry to its limits, while also helping spread word about how to do things as safely and carefully as possible. People like Tom are the reason every respectable studio on the planet has an autoclave.

Second, Shannon Larratt is no idiot. A risk taker, sure. Someone who uses his own body as a testbed for the untried? Absolutely. But an idiot? Not a chance. He knows exactly what he's doing, and he knows the risks. He's written countless articles about the safety aspects of piercings, tattoos, and more extreme body modifications. He's quite well aware of the risks, and indeed most likely purposely chose to have Tom do the removal because that way he could document every step of the process for others to learn.

Third - read the article more carefully. Another person with the same implant went to a doctor to have it removed. The Dr. fucked it up. The local emergency room person may or may not do the same. The problem with Doctors is, just like everything else in the world - there are ones who are good, and there are ones who are not. A perfect example of this is doctors who tell people with an infected piercing to remove it and shoot them up with antibiotics. This can often be a VERY bad idea, because the piercing can no longer be properly cleaned, AND it can no longer drain. You better hope those antibiotics work, because the good Doc has just taken away all but one of your treatment options.

And last but not least - your quip about a sterile environment shows just how clueless you are. Any good quality piercer will have sterility routines that put your average family practice doctor to shame. EVERYTHING is autoclaved, needles are disposed of in proper medical sharps containers, studios are kept immaculately clean and gloves are changed CONSTANTLY during a procedure.

My piercier practices better hygiene than my oral surgeon.

Re:Wait

[azav]

Actually, yes. That's what the article says. Being able to detect phone lines, magnetized speakers, etc...

I think this is actually similar to the active detection of electrical fields that many fish can do. Sharks have these "Ampules of Lorenzini" that they use to zero in on their pre from a distance by detecting the electrical signature of muscle contractions in a prey animal.

Re:Cyberdyne Restaurant

[spun]

Not me, I just had a movement this morning.

Seriously, though, most Slashdotters are probably too young to know Alice's Restaurant

Re:Goodbye Finger

[networkBoy]

That would be an emergency quench and with most MRIs I'm familiar with runs a 10-20% chance of the magnet tearing its self apart as the field collapses.
-nB