Where is the line between wearables and removeable implants?

So I have recently been wondering about a surface implant and have already posted something on it but my question today is that if a were to "implant something on top of the skin and make it easily removable would it be a wearable or a implant 

Comments

  • "Implant something on top of the skin" is kinda contradicting. What do you mean?
  • it's on top of the hypodermis but the dermis and epidermis have grown into the implant making a part of the body

  • Like a dermal?
  • If it breaches where external skin is normal it is implanted IMHO.

    Why does the terminology matter?
  • I asked because I almost felt like he was discribing a mounting point, which is exactly what a dermal is. Also that is how a dermal heals. Am I right OP?
  • The way i would personally interpret this question would be: 

    A wearable being a device or augmentation that can be simply worn by any individual with no 'bodily alterations' (maybe body hair may need to be removed, nails trimmed, skin cleaned, etc...)

    I would consider a removable implant to be one that requires some form of bodily modification to be accepted in the first place, such as say, a firefly needing to be subdermally injected. 

    PERSONALLY, i would interpret a transdermal implant that is actually attached to the skin via a method requiring bodily alteration to be accepted would be considered a removable implant rather than a wearable.

    The greyest of grey areas would be things like earrings that serve as sensory augmentation... Someone remind me of this? Can't remember the thread. >~<
  • I think your thinking of moon Rivas augmentations.
  • Yes Yes, that's it  ^^ 
  • Guys in terms of attaching things to the skin etc... I was thinking that it might be possible to improve the public perception/understanding of the next generation by doing some school kits.

    A pack of small 3x1mm n52 magnets and some nail glue and students (about 12 yrs old?) get one attached to their fingernail and then use them to sense metal plates under a sheet of paper etc.

    Just to teach kids what it might be like to have a new sense, the magnets could be removed after a couple of days or even in the same session.

    I was thinking this could be done as a press kit/science kit with a couple of other experiments/games to introduce/engage kids to electromagnetism.  

    Also non-biosafe magnets cost bugger all, so you could set up a booth at a hacker/science fair and do the same for adults. For a couple of bucks each, a magnet, a coat of white nail polish and a cool decal and you could introduce a couple of hundred people to the idea of magnetic implants in a day.

    Might even be something you could sell as a mini kit for people who want to put their toe in the water of biohacking without going under the knife?
  • @Dr_Allcome, my local group set up a room at a convention and we had a very similar idea. We used medical tape to to place little magnets, probably 5x1 discs, to people's fingertips. They could wave their hands over a transformer and a couple of large Nd magnets. They would say things like, "This one feels smooth and that one move." It was so cool to watch people experience it for the first time. Their eyes got pretty big when I told them I felt that all the time and these were just little fields.

    I've heard people using glue on fingernails but it makes more sense to me to put it right on the sensitive part of a finger where it doesn't need to vibrate the whole nail. But, like you said, they're cheap, try all the ways.

    If the kids are pretty young don't let them keep the magnets attached to their fingernails because it could get eaten with some chicken nuggets.
  • I tried it on my fingertip but I never really got any sensation. I'll try the nail.

    I would like to show people rather then try and explain why I want one.
  • edited June 2016
    @McSTUFF, @Meanderpaul, Thanks for feedback. 

    Absolutely good point about the age thing, even importing magnets here into Oz (Australia) can be tricky because we've had several incidents with children swallowing small powerful magnets. That was part of my reason for thinking 12 as a minimum age.

    I'm going to try glueing to the finger nail, finger tip, side etc.

    So I've ordered a pack of magnets and some fingernail glue, I'll look at getting some glue for use on skin (rather than just using super/crazy glue).

    I'll try to post my results in case anyone else wants to try it with friends.

    Any suggestions for tests experiments I can set up to test sensitivity would be appreciated.
  • Update for anyone interested... 

    Attaching to the fingernail: Worked well and glue held for 48hrs (if I could avoid playing with at it) - sensation was almost non existent with a 3x1 mm magnet, but noticeable with a 3x6 mm.
    I was able to get a much stronger attachment by adding a scaffold (heavy gauze) which was still stable after 4 days at which point I removed it myself.


    Attaching to finger tip (skin): Glue lasted for <1 day but gave much better sensation better than fingernail (3x1 mm). Stronger attachment was possible with more glue or the addition of a scaffold material but this reduced sensation to the same level as a fingernail and only extended duration to 48hrs.

    I put the magnets on the ring (anular) fingers of both hands, skin attachments were attempted on the tip and the outer side of the pad.

    I also experimented with attaching magnets to the tip of all five digits on one hand - Gave an interesting 3d effect to the sense, although the thumb had the least sensation I felt it gave the best effects as a secondary sensing point.

    Note: I tried using "white nail glue" (water based) it was useless. I settled on cyanoacrylate for my tests.
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