The hybridization of wearables and implantables: A new era of technology?

Reality-Shifting Comments: By Rebecca Smith

A recent innovation by Naomi Kizhner has lead me to question the line between wearable technology and implantable technology. Previously, wearable technology was generally thought to be a piece of technology that is worn as an appendage on the human body whereas implantable technology is more permanent. But what do we get when the line between the two becomes blurred? Well this is exactly what happened when Kizhner designed the Blood Bridge, a device which is inserted into the veins of an individual’s forearm.

The purpose of the device is to harness the energy of the human body by converting it into useable power. According to an article by Gillian Fuller entitled, “Student designs jewelry that turns your body into a phone charger”, the Blood Bridge is only one of three devices in Kizhner’s Energy Addicts collection. The collection also features a device known as The Blinker which is worn on the bridge of the nose and a device called The E-Pulse which features four needles which are pushed into the wearer’s back between the shoulder blades.

Needless to say, these pieces of jewelry are quite invasive which leads to the question, will people really buy into the products? Wouldn’t it make more sense to simply design technology with longer-lasting batteries? While there is no evidence to suggest that there are any risks associated with the use of the devices, there is certainly room for complications with any device that must be inserted into a vein. Is it worth the risk?

How far would you go for a little extra battery power?