Why Connecting Our Brains With Computers Is Perhaps NOT The BEST IDEA… The True Story of IoT, IoB, 5G Networks and Transhumanism

Most of the problems with all of these technological advancements are ethical, or perhaps religious

Why Connecting Our Brains With Computers Is Perhaps NOT The BEST IDEA… The True Story of IoT, IoB, 5G Networks and Transhumanism

by Milan Tomic | Contributing Writer | Eternal Affairs Media

What is IoT (Internet of Things)?

The term “Internet of Things,” or “IoT,” refers to physical things (or collections of such objects) equipped with sensors, processing power, software, and other systems that communicate with one another and exchange data through the Internet and other network services.

The combination of numerous technologies, such as ubiquitous computing, widely available sensors, powerful embedded systems, and machine learning, has caused the field to advance. The Internet of things is enabled both individually and collectively by traditional embedded systems fields like wireless sensor networks, control systems, and automation (including home and building automation). In the consumer market, “smart home“ products are those that support one or more common ecosystems and can be controlled by devices connected to that ecosystem, such as smartphones and smart speakers. Examples of these products include lighting fixtures, thermostats, home security systems, cameras, and other appliances. Systems for providing healthcare also use IoT.

Organizations across a range of industries are progressively utilizing IoT to function more quickly, better understand their consumers and provide better customer service, boost decision-making, and raise the value of the company.

The Internet of Things has emerged in recent years as one of the most significant 21st-century technological developments. Continuous communication between people, processes and other “things” is now possible thanks to the ability to connect commonplace items—such as kitchen appliances, automobiles, thermostats, and baby monitors—to the web via consumer applications.

Low-cost computer technology, the cloud, huge data sets, data analysis, and the development of mobile technologies enabled the sharing and collection of data by physical objects with a minimum of human intervention. Digital systems can document, supervise, and modify every interaction between connected objects in today’s hyperconnected world. The physical and digital worlds collide, but they work together.

Many people are worried about the risks associated with the development of IoT technologies and products, particularly in the areas of privacy and security. As a result, industry and government efforts to address these worries have started, but the regulations should hurry because IoT devices are widely used and get hacked very often.

These web-enabled devices’ data transmission, network management, and communication protocols are heavily influenced by the particular IoT applications that have been implemented. IoT can also use machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to help make data gathering processes simpler and much more productive.

The usage of the Internet of Bodies (IoB)

In 2016, the phrase “Internet of Bodies” (IoB) was first used. It speaks of networked devices that keep an eye on a person’s health, gathers physiological, biomechanical, or emotional data, and communicate with one another across a wireless or mixed connection. The IoB cohort can also be thought of as including independent mobile applications that examine physical behavior and health-related information, including pulse, heart rate, and sleeping habits.

Despite how far in the future it may seem, many people seem to be using wearable technology to connect to the Internet of Bodies. IoB products come in a variety of shapes and levels of complexity, from the smartwatches and fitness trackers that about 30% of Americans use, to injectable insulin delivery methods, swallowable sensors, and devices for brain stimulation. Better health condition diagnosis and treatment, individualized insurance plans, more productivity, and increased public safety are just a few of the advantages of adopting IoB systems at a global level.

The development of “smart contact lenses” incorporates sensors and chips that can track health diagnostics based on data from the eye and eye fluid. Each smart contact lens under research tracks the performance glucose levels, enabling diabetics to do so without having to repeatedly prick their fingers throughout the day.

However, not all applications of the Internet of Bodies are related to healthcare. Well over 4,000 people have chips implanted in them by the bioengineering business Biohax, mostly for convenience. In one highly publicized instance, 50 workers at Three Square Market decided to get an RFID microchip the size of a huge grain of rice implanted. This type of RFID microchip is comparable to those that are inserted into pets to enable identification and location when they are missing. These employees’ access to the facility without a key, their ability to pay for things at the vending machine by waving their hands instead of using cash, and their ability to sign in to their computers are all made possible by this chip.

The epidemic increased demand for digital healthcare options among the general population, and healthcare organizations have since followed suit. The digital health market is expected to reach $220 billion by 2026, driven by telemedicine, remote patient surveillance, and healthcare analytics technologies. Additionally, it won’t be long until the Internet of Bodies becomes widely used.

All of this could result in the development of next-generation cyber-physical systems, in which linked thermostats automatically adapt their temperature settings and alert an endocrinologist if the concentration of glucose in your sweat increases based on information gathered from sensors integrated into smart clothing.

However, the expanding use of the Internet of Bodies may also lead to the establishment of a worldwide surveillance state, income-based health inequities, and unlawful access to private information by other parties.

The term “Internet of Bodies” was popularized by the shady and also very powerful RAND corporation. While you probably didn’t hear about this huge company, it was the foundation of some of the biggest and scariest projects of mankind. If you do not support the idea of IoB, you should closely look at RAND and its developments. The Internet of Bodies will soon become widely used as well; it’s just a matter of time.

The risk arises when IoB devices proliferate without corresponding advancements in security controls to guard them against threats. As with other new and emerging technologies, caution must be exercised to maximize their potential.

How is IoB connected to IoT?

The Internet of Bodies is what happens when your body and the Internet of Things (IoT) link.

The Internet of Bodies (IoB) is an expansion of the Internet of Things and essentially involves implanting, ingesting, or otherwise connecting devices to the body to connect the human body to a network. Data sharing and remote monitoring and control of the body and gadgets are both possible once connected.

As IoT and IoB devices transmit data in a standardized format and at a higher rate, we could soon expect better compatibility between them.

The broader category of IoT solutions includes the Internet of Bodies. But unlike connected heaters, freezers, and curtains, IoB products ensure an even tighter connection between people and technology.

What are 5G networks and how are they used?

The fifth-generation (5G) technological standard for broadband cellular networks, which cell phone providers started rolling out globally in 2019, is the anticipated replacement for the 4G networks that connect the majority of modern smartphones. By 2025, it is expected that 5G networks will have more than 1.7 billion customers and represent 25% of the global market for mobile technologies.

Cellular networks, like 5G networks, split the service area into discrete geographic regions known as cells. Each 5G wireless device in a cell uses fixed antennas to transmit radio waves to a cellular base station on frequency bands that the base station has designated. The base stations, also known as nodes, are linked to routers for Internet access and swapping centers in the telephone network by a high-bandwidth optical fiber or wireless backhaul links. A mobile device traveling from one cell to another is easily handed over, just like in other cellular networks. Per square kilometer, 5G is anticipated to accommodate up to a million devices.

Higher download speeds—up to 10 gigabits per second (Gbit/s)—are available on the new networks. The performance of Internet services in busy locations is improved by 5G since it is quicker than current networks and has a larger capacity that can link more devices.

The networks are anticipated to be used more often as general internet service providers (ISPs) for different types of computers, competing with current ISPs like cable internet, and will also enable new applications in the internet of things (IoT) and machine-to-machine (M2M) spaces. Because they are not backward compatible with 4G, smartphones with only 4G capabilities can not access 5G networks.

In addition to mobile operator networks, 5G is anticipated to be utilized for secure networks, with implications for industrial IoT, business networking, and essential communications.

The fifth generation (5G) has already arrived, and in early 2019, international operators began rolling out new 5G networks. Furthermore, 5G phones are being sold by all major phone makers. And very soon, even more, individuals might have access to 5G. More than 60 countries have already implemented 5G. Compared to 4G, the rollout and adoption of this technology are happening much faster. The fast speeds and short latencies have customers giddy with anticipation. By enabling huge IoT, improved mobile broadband, and mission-critical applications, 5G goes above and beyond these advantages. Even while it is difficult to say exactly when everyone will have access to 5G, there is a lot of momentum for 5G launches in the first year, and we anticipate additional nations launching their 5G networks in 2020.

According to Henk De Feyter, Ph.D., an assistant professor of radiology and biomedical imaging at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, the radiofrequency used by 5G is higher than that of 4G and 3G. That is what distinguishes it. However, he claims that other than that, the technology functions in the same way, creating electromagnetic radiation to transmit and receive data.

Transhumanism

The goal of the philosophical movement known as transhumanism is to liberate the human body and mind from their biological constraints so that mankind can advance towards a future free from the constraints of mortality. Even though many of the technologies that transhumanists rely on to realize their fantasies are genuine and have the potential to change the world, they have significant limitations. The assumption that highly complex biological systems can be simplified to interactions between their elements is perhaps transhumanism’s worst error. Science of the twenty-first century, which is a system- and holistic-focused, is at odds with this.

In a major 1957 essay, biologist Julian Huxley made the word “transhumanism” widespread. One of the first futurology lecturers, a man who went by FM-2030, foreshadowed the modern definition of the phrase “transhumanism,” which is now widely used. When he started referring to people who adopt technologies, lives, and worldviews as “transitory” to post-humanity as “transhuman” in the 1960s, he was teaching “new ideas of the human.”

The concept of using technology to improve our bodies is not revolutionary. However, how seriously transhumanists regard the idea varies. We once produced things like wooden legs, hearing aids, eyeglasses, and fake teeth. In the future, we may be able to directly detect infrared or ultraviolet radiation thanks to implants, or we may be able to improve our cognitive abilities by connecting to memory chips. Science will eventually create beings with nearly god-like performance, power, and longevity through the fusion of man and machine.

How does transhumanism appear? Its supporters envision a future in which scientific advancements will allow people to live longer. Research into anti-aging therapies that enable us to remain healthy for a greater percentage of our longer life spans will be pushed forward by transhumanism. People with disabilities will be able to regain control of their artificial limbs thanks to mind-controlled prosthetics.

A lot of this is occurring. For example, pacemakers can extend patients’ lives by several decades, while cochlear implants can restore hearing. The scientists suppressed the immunological reactions that might have otherwise caused the patient’s body to reject the organ via genetic engineering.

While some of transhumanism’s impacts can heal people with specific conditions, they can also be exploited for worse things. For instance, the medicine erythropoietin boosts the creation of red blood cells in people with severe anemia, but some sportsmen have also used it as an illegal performance enhancer to increase their blood’s capacity to transport air to their muscles.

There are other ways to achieve immortality through transhumanism besides ensuring that our bodies regenerate endlessly. As many science fiction fans will attest, we may one day upload our minds onto enormous supercomputers. Additionally, brain-computer interfaces have made real advancements, similar to many other technologies that transhumanists have praised. For instance, thanks to developments in neurology, some people in a vegetative conditions can now communicate. Transhumanists consider the uploading of our thoughts to be the pinnacle of a trend that is already in motion.

The greatest hope lies in “The Singularity,” when computing power increases exponentially and general artificial intelligence emerges. You may be able to upload your entire consciousness into silicon as a result of this machine awakening, ensuring a semblance of immortality.

The problems with these new emerging technologies

Most of the problems with all of these technological advancements are ethical, or perhaps religious.

Death is, after all, the final frontier for humans. Many transhumanists believe that science can help us avoid death. Because of this, some people intend to freeze their bodies if technology advances and they can be revived in the future.

Although this may sound great when you hear it for the first time, look at it from the other perspective: Humans were created by God and were allowed by him to live in bodies with some limitations. The main limitation of the human body is its mortality. That same mortality motivates us to move forward and to do something in this life. If all of us were immortals, most of the world’s population would probably be lying on their couches for whole days.

Also, removing death would mean that humans would not be able to go to final judgment after their lives. Almost all Christian norms would be broken. Besides that, if we do get to the point of being able to live forever, how would we be able to deal with prisoners if they are constantly escaping to another body after death?

The aspect of immortality is not the only problem with IoB and transhumanism. Would you like to lose your privacy to the point where your whole body is traced by tiny sensors? Also, robot parts of the body lead to greater control over the whole body by shady individuals behind big corporations and governments.

Finally, one big question arises: if our bodies are full of artificial parts, our DNA is hacked so we do not age (anti-aging), and if we are connected to the network of smart devices and other people, will we still be humans or will we become some form of robots? If so, I think that it is better for humanity to not advance any further in this area of development.

Some pessimists and skeptics even assert that IoB procedures and gadgets pose substantial threats to the integrity of our bodies, violate our privacy, and rob us of control over our physical presence in cyberspace.

Apart from religious and ethical challenges, these new technologies face cyber threats and privacy concerns.

IoB devices can monitor a variety of bodily functions, including menstrual cycles, sleep patterns, and cardiac rhythms. Furthermore, it’s not quite apparent who can obtain and utilize this data. Individuals who utilize IoB gadgets may not fully possess biometric data in the absence of appropriate rules. Additionally, the Internet of Bodies technologies may unintentionally monitor other individuals around the user, violating their privacy when used in public spaces like schools and healthcare facilities.

Will health insurance providers be able to refuse coverage when an IoB device from a client reports a client’s behavior? A cochlear implant may help a person hear again, but it also has the potential to record every sound they hear around them. Will that information is kept secret?

For instance, the biometric information recorded by an implantable heart device might be used as proof in contentious criminal cases like the famed Ross Compton lawsuit. When questions arose in 2016 regarding whether a seriously ill man might flee a fire while carefully packing his belongings into a suitcase, the police were able to learn information from Mr. Compton’s cardiac pacing devices.

IoB devices could have the same security flaws as IoT devices because they are a part of the greater Internet of Things family. If your smartwatch joins a brand-new botnet, it won’t cause any fatal damage, but a compromised cardiac implant or insulin injections are a very different matter.

A detailed IoB information security framework, which could be based on the corresponding framework created by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, must be created by the government to stop companies, cybercriminals, and international governments from trying to access sensitive information and launch high-profile cyberattacks on the US IT infrastructure. Additionally, IoT businesses in the fitness and lifestyle sectors could be subject to harsher security regulations from the FDA.

The effective utilization of the technology will require policies to be established around it as the Internet of Bodies industry develops.

5G networks seem to be the safest technology of all those listed above. But there are still some health-related problems with them. 

Before the development of 5G technology, there has been a lengthy history of worry and apprehension about wireless transmissions. The worries around 5G are comparable to those that existed throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. They primarily focus on the idea that non-ionizing radiation is harmful to human health. Non-ionizing radiation cannot strip electrons from atoms, in contrast to ionizing radiation. Intense, direct, non-ionizing radiation exposure, according to the CDC, may cause heat-induced tissue damage. This is uncommon and is mainly a worry at work for those who handle sizable tools and devices that produce non-ionizing radiation. Some proponents of alternative medicine contend that regulatory requirements are too lax and are swayed by lobbying organizations.

Numerous popular but questionable books have been written on the subject, claiming that wireless technology is to blame for a wide range of ailments, including ADHD, heart disease, and brain cancer.

Conclusion

Although there are positive things about IoB, IoT, transhumanism, and 5G networks, the downsides are probably the more notable ones. Since the very beginning of these technologies, they have all had something controversial.

My personal opinion is that these technologies can be used if they are regulated properly and if the usage is not “out of hand” (with humans becoming cyborgs or similar), especially if they become so advanced that they could save one’s life. Nobody would probably like to give anyone the amount of information that can be obtained just by hacking something as simple as a smartwatch or a cardiac pacing device.

While all of us would like to prolong our time on earth by living a healthy life. I do not think that anyone would like us to become almost entirely controlled machines that are immortal.

What will happen next, only God can tell. Just like with The Tower of Babel HE GETS THE LAST SAY!