Implantable magnets (biomagnets) are interesting type of upgrade. With a biomagnet implanted you can interact with the world in new exciting ways! Not only can you lift metal objects (a fun party trick), you can also feel or “sense” magnetic fields. These can be static fields from other permanent magnets or electromagnetic fields generated from things like electric motors, magnetrons in microwave ovens, or high current electricity flowing through a wire (and I mean high current, like a lot). Another thing you can do is interact with magnetic sensors, like hall effect sensors or the sensor inside a MacBook Air that detect when the lid is closed. Some people just like the ability to stick small screws or parts to themselves when working on a project.
Basic examples of what you can do
• Lifting metal objects (fun at parties / bar tricks)
• Doing magic tricks with magnetic objects / devices
• Stick and hold small metal parts to yourself while working
• Manipulate magnetic sensors (e.g. lid close sensor in MacBooks)
• Sense electromagnetic fields and permanent magnets
• Experiment with implanted magnets as audio devices
Sensing fields & brain plasticity
The idea is that you hijack a small section of your tactile sensory system by implanting a small magnet into an area with dense nerve endings, typically fingertips. This allows the magnet’s movements to communicate new information about your surroundings to your brain via your sense of touch. When a small but powerful implanted magnet encounters another strong magnetic field, it will move or vibrate, and the surrounding nerves communicate those subtle movements to your brain. In about 2-3 weeks, neuralplasticity kicks in and your brain will begin to reinterpret the sensory data coming from that one specific finger or area not as “hey something is touching my finger”, but as “hey, there’s a magnetic field here”. That’s the core difference between an implanted magnet and just something you put on or wear… the brain readily accepts this new kind of input as a consistent, reliable, and robust form of information about the world around you, and adjusts accordingly. I know this to be the case because of what happened at my local library.
I had a biomagnet implanted for about a month. I’d already assimilated this new capability into my sense of self so completely that I’d forget the magnet was even there until I encountered something to sense or interact with. While entering the local library, I walked through the front door like any other day, only that day something abruptly stopped me in my tracks and looked around. I’d passed through the beige plastic arches that line the doorway hundreds of times before, but now the library’s anti-theft book detection system was vibrating my biomagnet like crazy. After realizing what it was, I continued inside. I started to wonder though – why was my reaction to stop walking mid-stride? Why did I look around instead of lifting my hand up to look at my finger? Before having a biomagnet, if I’d been walking into the library and felt a buzzing on my fingertip, I would have looked at my hand to see what was causing the sensation.. but why did I stop and look around this time? Why didn’t I look at my finger? Of course, the reason is that neuroplasticity had changed the meaning of that input so deeply that my unconscious reaction to my implant violently vibrating was to interpret that as a warning about something in my environment. My reaction to stop in my tracks and evaluate just where I was walking and what was going on around me proved to that my brain’s neuralplasticity was very robust, even for something as insignificant as a buzzing sensation in my fingertip.
Biomagnet implant products
We have two types of implantable biomagnets – the xG3 and the Titan.
The first is our xG3, an N52 strength cylinder magnet secured inside our standard Schott 8625 bioglass – the same biocompatible implant grade glass we use for our chip implants. The xG3 comes in two types; axially magnetized (v1) and diametrically magnetized (v2). The xG3 is a 3mm diameter, 13mm long cylindrical injectable biomagnet that comes inside its own EO gas sterilized injection assembly. Any of our professional installation partners can easily install this since it’s all done with a standard needle and no other special tools are necessary.
The Titan is a the pinnacle of implantable biomagnets. Born from ideas circulated around our amazing biohacker community forum, the Titan is an N52 magnetic core surrounded by pure medical grade titanium (not an alloy, pure titanium). The shell is laser welded around the core and further machined to perfection, then the core is magnetized to maximum strength. Designed for sensing applications, the Titan is a 4.5mm diameter, 2.5mm tall disc shape with excellent all around field strength. If you’re looking for the ultimate in a magnetic implant, the Titan will truly last a lifetime.
