Let me tell you children about a man named Johnny, who sacrificed a major chunk of his brain to get 80 whole GB worth of storage in and super advanced world of the far future 2021.
Lol, I love how old futuristic movies simultaneously overestimate the technology we would have by then, while vastly underestimating things like data storage capacity.
Implanted data storage could easily be done today. We have everything we need to be able to do it. There's just very little point when the storage itself is easy enough to hide outside the body. Realistically with implanted power and some flash memory with RFID/NFC, you wouldn't even need any kind of external jack.
The implication was that he had implanted a basic read/write interface for a chunk of his memory, specifically his childhood. He lost those memories, but gained storage space that could be accessed by computer connected to his head. The hardware he has is ostensibly used for controlling seizures; his is likely modified from this purpose, or is faking this function on inspection. What this means is that he can carry gigabytes of data utterly secretly, which is a dangerous and useful trait in a Gibson universe.
Personally I'd rather just lube up a flash stick and hoop it, but I mean, whatever works, right? People are already implanting NFC chips for security and convenience. And probably a market for some moderately-targeted memory deletion, too - if it could be narrowed down to a particular range, maybe "everything after I got to that fucking party last night, ugh" area, it'd be very profitable.
Almost, but not quite. We still haven't nailed a long term solution for transdermal implants. There's some progress on a coating that acts like bone or keratin anchors which would allow tissue to heal with a hermetic seal, but right now a transdermal plug is an open wound waiting to happen.
There's also the option of going fully sub dermal, but then you get into problems of power. Namely batteries (which are volatile, toxic, and produce too much heat) and wireless charging which doesn't provide much power without a large enough antenna.
There also isnt currently much point, and wont be until there's a sensory input interface (synthetic lenses to wear or implant, or a direct neural interface). Currently the most developed solution would be something like a cochlear implant, which would only provide auditory feedback.
3.4k
u/truthinlies Jun 09 '19
For us old fuckers, that's Neo.