Respiratory implants and hacks
Here's an interesting article I saw the other day. Something like this seems like it could be easily adapted for implantation.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/11139242/Aquaman-crystal-could-see-humans-breathe-underwater.html
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Physiologically, the metaphor holds up. Innervation and control of the diaphram muscle is really freaking cool. It's one of those very few places where the autonomic and somatic stuff overlaps.You can consciously control your breath or not. Ok, anyhow... my point.
I don't think we're going to find a oxygenation sweet point really. The key to optimization through respiratory systems lie in alternating etc. I started a blog on this a long time ago but it was rather crap and incomplete. Here's the thing, blood vessels are control via both the autonomic and local factors. One of those factors is CO2 levels. Basically, higher CO2 locally indicates (usually) higher metabolic activities occuring... So vessels dilate, more blood flow, CO2 out, O2 in. There you go. So, higher levels of CO2 can increase blood flow to some of the more peripheral areas if you play your cards right. Also, higher levels of CO2 and low O2 have effects in the kidneys r/t release of messengers causing the formation of RBCs. So, if you keep O2 high, CO2 low, the body adjusts and takes it easy. Less RBCs mature (maybe).
Also, there are CNS chemoreceptors. The most obvious are those that regulate breathing rate, right? So, more O2.. less CO2 and you breathe less. But your lungs/heart.. even blood vessels aren't merely pipes and pumps. They release hormones and play other strange roles that aren't obvious intuitively. For example the Lungs make Angiotensin Converting Enzymes. This has a role in blood pressure (long term, not acute). Also, veins have valves in them and the respiratory system causes fluctuations in pressure and assist in returning venous blood to the heart. Less respirations means accumulation of venous blood. While I don't know of any studies showing high oxygenation leads to high blood pressure or edema or anything... my point is that there's a lot going on here. Don't misunderstand me. I'm certainly not trying to shoot down anything here.
I think the optimal way to go would actually be to cycle between states. To stress the body in hypoxic conditions and then reward it with hyperoxic. Something like a version of Pranayam that's based on actual research and results.
Ok, so while I was seriously into Yoga/Pranayam, I could consciously control HR in that I could raise or lower it by about 20 bpm or so with some limitations. Example: I could never get it above the mid 90's by mind alone... even start from a high rate like 85. But I could raise it from the mid 50's to the 80's and vice versa. Systolic Blood pressure, I could change as much as 20 to 30 points as well. The thinking alone thing is difficult, but I could teach anybody to do it in a day if you count changing your breathing patterns as game. This is easy stuff, low hanging fruit. All the Yogi control of the autonomic nervous system crap is related to this and it is science not spirituality. I advise everybody to look into it, and would totally be down in collaborating on a project using biometric sensors to put some numbers down and serve as a mechanism of biofeedback training.
The lab is progressing. One of the modules of it is a biofeedback suite including of course BP HR Temp RR, pO2 Sat, but also EEG. The reason I previously haven't gone any further than a really crappy rudimentary blog with both Pranayam and tDCS is that I haven't had any means to really measure change/effect. This will obviously be different soon. If we're going to play around with these things, attention should be paid not only to expected affect, but also our means of measuring that affect.
Ok, done rambling. Suggestions? Ideas? Criticisms?