Digitising Human Bodies for Healthcare: Potential and Risks of the Internet of Beings

The Conversation
The Conversation
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Embedding sensors in bodies to digitally monitor and treat health could revolutionize medicine but introduces complex security and ethical dilemmas.
Digitising Human Bodies for Healthcare: Potential and Risks of the Internet of Beings
A What happened
The internet of beings represents a new phase of the internet where human organs connect to global information systems via sophisticated sensors, or biorobots. These devices will allow real-time health tracking, early disease detection, and targeted treatment, potentially preventing millions of deaths and reducing healthcare costs. Moreover, vast data collected will reverse-engineer medical research, speeding drug development and tailoring treatments to individual biological changes. Despite potential benefits in extending healthy lifespans and improving global healthcare accessibility, this technology poses serious risks including hacking vulnerabilities and ethical dilemmas about human identity and privacy. Society faces a critical choice in navigating these radical transformations carefully to maximize benefits while mitigating harms.
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Key insights

  • 1

    Shift from Reactive to Preventative Medicine: Continuous body monitoring enables early disease detection and personalized interventions, reducing reliance on costly treatments after illness onset.

  • 2

    Data-Driven Reversal of Medical Research: Massive real-time biological data allow pattern discovery before hypothesis formation, accelerating and refining drug development and treatment strategies.

  • 3

    Emergence of Digital Twins: Real-time virtual models of individual biology will simulate disease progression and treatment responses, altering life science research paradigms.

  • 4

    Heightened Cybersecurity Risks: Connecting bodies to the internet introduces unprecedented vulnerabilities, demanding new frameworks for bio-cybersecurity to protect human integrity.

Takeaways

The internet of beings heralds a transformative medical era with profound benefits and risks. Careful governance is essential to balance innovation with protection of individual rights and well-being.

Topics

Science & Research Medical Research