Pacemakers and other implanted
medical devices have become commonplace. But being able to directly interact
with implants--via user interfaces that are implanted as well--still might
strike some as science fiction a la the Terminator. Researchers who are testing implanted user
interfaces say the appliances will enable people who have implanted medical
devices such as pacemakers to recharge and reprogram them without the use of
wireless transmissions, which are considered vulnerable to hacking. Using a
cadaver as their subject, the researchers from Autodesk Research in Toronto and
the University of Toronto showed that it's possible to communicate with a small
UI device that is implanted just below the skin of the arm. Some of the output is
sensory, such as vibrations or sounds that might alert a patient with a
pacemaker that the device's battery is nearly discharged. They also tested
pressure and light sensors for entering information. In addition, they
successfully recharged batteries through a ‘powering mat’ placed on top of the
skin.
Despite the security issues, the
researchers also tested Bluetooth transmissions that could prompt a smartphone
or other wireless hub to send signals to a care manager or physician. They
discovered that data transmission was hardly affected by the skin covering
their UI device. In contrast to current implanted medical devices, which can do
only what they're programmed to do, those equipped with or attached to an
implanted UI "could support a wide range of applications and tasks,"
the paper says. For example, if a pacemaker malfunctions, it could be
reprogrammed. Implanted units have several advantages over mobile and wearable
UI devices, the study says: the implanted units travel with the user, are
invisible, and are impervious to the weather. So far, there has been no other
research on this type of appliance. Among other things, studies must assess the
infection risks of implanted UI devices. Also, it's not clear exactly how
people would interact with the devices implanted under their skins.
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