So I was watching a documentary yesterday and I saw an implant that made my day…
I tried taking screenshots of it, but Amazon Prime blocks me from taking any, so I took the photos with another phone, sorry if quality is a bit meh.
This implant is installed in the arm, it’s kind of an external one (which I think it’s actually kinda cool, specially if someone like let’s say Amal was to develop something like this but with a cool grinder look) and you can use it with your phone, I’m assuming via NFC to get your blood readings.
This is EXACTLY what I wanted to have implanted 8 years ago, the first time I got interested in implants and biohacking.
In the documentary, which is called Fat Fiction, Obesity specialist Michelle Freshwater was the one installing them to a group of people who was due to enter an experiment involving diet choices.
Does anyone know anything about these implants? Or how can I get any information about this? I tried a search online but for some reason Google throws scams and misleading pages to me every time I try to look for something edgy like implants and body augmentations.
Below the photos I took of the process and the device.
They don’t show up when you search “implant” because the doctors want to be technically correct in that it is not an implanted device and the marketing people want to avoid any ire from the mark of the beast people.
They’re nice, but they have a needle and use a chemical reaction that expires after a few weeks, so you need a replacement. They are also pretty expensive. Eventually you’ll have biometrics like this in a Implantable form factor. I’ll make sure of it.
It’s the Abott Freestyle Libre 2.
The US version requires a special reader, while there is also a version that you can read with your phone using NFC. I think I mentioned it in your introduction thread already.
I was reverse engineering it some time ago and have a folder with 100+ patent pdfs just for it. They really patented everything and made my life a lot easier.
EDIT: I see Satur9 was quicker than me
Are you interested in “real time” blood glucose monitoring in form of an implant? There’re solutions for this, the problem is that none of those are approved for the use on humans, at least not in the US. I would like to ask you what exactly you trying to get out of it. Do you want collect data or do you want to directly control devices like an insulin pump?
I am interested in just collect data to see what my body is doing. Right now I use a blood reader and I have to draw blood to get the information. My two main parameters to read are blood glucose and ketones. I’m in the UK, and here I haven’t found either any implant that does that sadly.
There is the implantable Eversense CGM which has recently also become availible in the UK, but probably isn’t availible through the NHS: [IM ASSUMING THIS IS WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR]
Well, of course, right now this is more or less in the “early adopter” stage.
But it exists. And that means that in a few year’s worth of advances, it should come down in price to reasonable levels, and have even better functionality. Even ordinary HF/LF implants here on DT can be quite expensive. (I recently heard about the exploding price of insulin on the US market… over 300$ per 10 mL vial. What a disgrace)
That’s why I gave you info on some other CMS/flash glucose monitors that are covered by the NHS (including the libre 2, that you saw in the movie, if you meet the criteria).
I did mention that there is a NFC (that is, phone app usable) version of the Libre.
Yeah… Sadly I don’t meet the criteria because my use would not be for a health issue but for health control.
If I don’t eat myself to sleep and get type 2 diabetes I can’t get access to these.
I would, but I think if I tell her I want that device implanted but I don’t have diabetes and I’m not obese… She will have a hard time trying to understand me and I’ve been there too many times to keep trying to get nowhere
Ah, I’m sorry. I just assumed you were diabetic, because I have never before heard of anyone measuring their glucose/ketone levels otherwise. Or is it preventative?
The movement is called Quantified Self. Measuring your body’s metrics to improve everyday health. Its been around for awhile but really picked up recently with the prevalence of health trackers like the fitbit
Yes, glucose levels and insulin spikes while we eat some food types are linked to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, energy levels, cancer etc. So long story short… in order to avoid any of that and have top performance while I work (which is a very heavy physical job) I don’t eat food that spike insulin as much as carbs and my body produces ketones instead of glucose as fuel… I currently use a meter that allows me to switch modes between glucose and ketone levels with one strip, but I still need to draw blood from my finger and it’s not as cool as having an implant in my body
Ah. Well, I’m sorry that I don’t have better news. It will probably become more acessible with some more time. Or you could try your hands at electronics design and come up with something
The currently established method is glucose monitoring using current measurement with a needle coated in glucose oxidase in interstital fluid. Fascinating stuff!
Yeah so these like the others have said are CGM’s or continuous glucose monitors they last anywhere between 7 and 14 days then you got to install a new one. I’m going to tag @Equipter as I know he uses one (hope you don’t mind me saying that) i looked into them when I got diagnosed with diabetes type 2 but there ridiculously priced.
Also I find this a little insulting
They where invented specifically for diabetics which we know is not in a good percentage of cases diet related.
xD
