Exploring the Internet of Bodies

You've heard the term Internet of Things, where inanimate objects can be connected

to the internet and each other. But in 2016, academic and

author Dr. Andrea Matwyshyn took it one step further,

coining the term Internet of Bodies, or IoB.

She describes it as a network of human bodies whose integrity and

functionality rely, at least in part, on the internet and related

technologies, such as artificial intelligence.

That might sound far-fetched, but if you have one of these, you're already

part of the IoB world. There are three categories of

IoB based on the device's level of integration.

The first generation is external,

things like smart watches or rings, which use sensors to track our steps and

heart rate, or smart glasses, which function as cameras, headphones, and

monitors.

The second generation is internal.

These are devices you ingest or have implanted.

Think of pacemakers with digital implants, smart prosthetics

hardwired into patients' nerves and muscles, or even digital pills

that transmit medical data after being ingested.

Finally, there's the third generation.

These devices completely merge with the body while maintaining a

real-time connection to an external machine and the internet.

One of the most notable companies in this space is Elon Musk's Neuralink, which is

developing a brain computer interface, or BCI, called

The Link. The coin-sized chip is implanted under the skull,

where it can read a person's brain signals and allow them to control an

external machine.

I had to use, like, a mouth stick and stuff,

but now it's all being done with my

brain.

Neuralink's first test subject, who was paralyzed from the shoulders down,

used the device to play chess on his laptop, although a few weeks later,

Neuralink reported some malfunctioning.

Proponents of IoB devices say the benefits are clear.

They'll improve body cognition and function, improve healthcare,

and allow

for significant cost savings for people and corporations.

But where some see benefits, others see risks.

Even the original article coining the term warned of the technology's

flaws. For one, data protection will be paramount.

Many of these devices will be able to track, record, and store

personal information. Critics argue that if governments

and companies got their

hands on this data, they could use it to spy on citizens

or turn them

into revenue streams. There are also concerns around dependency,

addiction, and personal safety. Former US Vice President

Dick Cheney, for example, admitted that he had his heart implant's

wireless function disabled in 2007 over fears that

assassins could use it to cause a fatal heart attack.

There are also ethical questions to consider.

Could we see a world in which the rich are augmented and the poor aren't?

And philosophically, will IoB challenge our notions of human

autonomy and self-governance? Who will be responsible for

monitoring the risks?

Most IoB implantable and ingestible devices are regulated by

agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration in the US or its

counterparts internationally. They have a set of rules for things like

cochlear

implants or body part replacements, but IoB consumer

devices are not under their purview.

The recent emergence of these devices, their fast boom in sales, and their

varying capabilities somewhat explains the current patchwork of

legislation at regional, state, and international levels.

However, there are some existing laws that could be extended to

safeguard IoB data.

The EU's General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR,

is designed to protect EU residents from the dangers of data breaches

and cyber attacks. And in the US, the Health Insurance

Portability and Accountability Act, commonly known as HIPAA, is

meant to prevent a patient's information from being disclosed without consent.

As an industry, there's a lot to play for.

According to Mordor Intelligence, the global connected medical device market

alone will be worth around $66 billion in

2024 and is expected to reach more than

132 billion by 2029. That's an annual

growth rate of nearly 15%.