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First Internet-Connected Pacemaker Goes Live

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the jailbreak-your-heart dept.

The Register is reporting that a New York woman has become the first person to have her pacemaker wirelessly connected to the internet for full-time monitoring. "The device contains a radio transmitter which connects to receiving equipment in New Yorker Carol Kasyjanski's home, using a very low-power signal around 400MHz, to report on the condition of her heart. Any problems are instantly reported to the doctor, and regular checkups can be done by remotely interrogating the home-based equipment — the pacemaker itself doesn't have an IP address, fun as that would be."

6 of 158 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Good thing there's no IP by sdo1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    >I wonder what a DDoS would do to it ...

    Blue face of death?

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  2. Yes, but... by Haxzaw · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does it run Linux?

  3. Re:Good thing there's no IP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Brings a whole new meaning to Ping of Death.

  4. If it can access the internet... by Sumbius · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...then the next step is to see what a little overclocking would do to it...

  5. Re:no IP address? by roseblood · · Score: 5, Funny

    Recipient of said device breathes a sigh of relief when he discovers his heart won't be slashdotted.

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  6. Re:Here's an idea by powerlord · · Score: 5, Funny

    I don't know ... I mean ... what could possibly go wrong with connecting a pacemaker to Twitter and a live internet connection?

    ...
    1stP4ce 2009-Aug-08 11:30:21: I'm regulating my heart.
    1stP4ce 2009-Aug-08 11:31:21: I'm regulating my heart.
    1stP4ce 2009-Aug-08 11:32:21: I'm regulating my heart.
    1stP4ce 2009-Aug-08 11:33:21: I'm regulating my heart.
    1stP4ce 2009-Aug-08 11:34:21: I'm regulating my heart.
    1stP4ce 2009-Aug-08 11:35:21: I'm regulating my heart.
    1stP4ce 2009-Aug-08 11:32:21: Incoming update detected ...
    1stP4ce 2009-Aug-08 11:35:21: Switching to Mambo beat!!!!
    1stP4ce 2009-Aug-08 11:35:31: I'm regulating my p0wned!!1!! heart.
    1stP4ce 2009-Aug-08 11:36:31: I'm regulating my p0wned!!1!! heart.
    1stP4ce 2009-Aug-08 11:36:21: Incoming update detected ...
    1stP4ce 2009-Aug-08 11:37:31: I'm regulating my p0wned!!1!! heart. ANONYMOUS RULES!!!
    1stP4ce 2009-Aug-08 11:37:41: Incoming update detected ...
    1stP4ce 2009-Aug-08 11:38:33: I'm regulating my p0wned!!1!! heart. Marry me J-LO!
    1stP4ce 2009-Aug-08 11:38:35: Incoming update detected ...
    1stP4ce 2009-Aug-08 11:39:21: I'm regulating my p0wned!!1!! heart. BEWARE THE LIDS OF MARCH!
    1stP4ce 2009-Aug-08 11:39:31: Cardiac arrest detected ... initiating EMS protocol.
    1stP4ce 2009-Aug-08 11:39:31: Incoming update detected ... ...

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