You might think that I’m joking when I say that we need cyborg rights to be codified into law, but I honestly think that, given the pace of development of medical implants and the rights issues raised by having proprietary technologies becoming part of a human body, I think that this is absolutely essential for bodily autonomy, disability rights, and human rights more generally. This has already become an issue, and it will only become a larger issue moving forwards.
No but seriously we need cyborg rights, in case you don’t know how many people count as cyborgs here are some examples;
People with cochlear implants are cyborgs
People with pacemakers are cyborgs
People with insulin pumps are cyborgs
There are even edge cases revolving around how much electricity and integration into the body are necessary to make someone a cyborg.
People with replacement hips or other bones are by some definitions cyborgs
People with implanted medical devices such as artificial valves or stents are by some definitions cyborgs
People with prosthetic limbs are by some definitions cyborgs
People with ostomy bags are by some definitions cyborgs
People in wheel chairs, electric or not, are by some definitions cyborgs
The list could go on but I think I made my point that cyborgs are a lot more than just people with robot arms, they are the disabled deserving of the rights to the technology their lives literally depend on.
This is needed.
Earlier this year, a woman was forcibly deprived of a brain implant that was treating her epilepsy because the company that made the implant went bankrupt. Here’s a link to one of several articles about it:
This story happened back in the 2010s according to the first article but is still relevant. Also if my cochlears were repossessed by the company for some asinine reason I would literally stop being able to do 80% of the things I do and my future would be ruined. Cyborg rights are necessary and should have been codified decades ago
This was in 2020, and the patients weren’t even informed of it - one day their eyes just stopped working because the company that made them went out of business.
If you have seen Ted Lasso you may have noticed these unusual microphones used by the football commentators.
Despite being a microphone nerd, I had never seen anything like them before. So I decided to go into research mode and discovered these microphones are quite fascinating.
They are called “Lip-Ribbon” or “Commentator’s” microphones.
They were specially designed by the BBC in the 1950s for extremely noisy environments. Soccer Football stadiums have peaked at 130 decibels so they needed something that would not get overwhelmed in that circumstance.
They use several very clever techniques to make sure only the voice is picked up and everything else is rejected.
First, they use a bidirectional polar pattern.
That means it will accept sound from two directions, but reject any sound coming in from the sides. And since the diaphragm is only exposed on one side, that helps reject sound coming from the other direction.
Next, the microphone is not very sensitive so you literally have to hold it up to your lips (hence “lip-ribbon”) in order for your voice to have enough sound energy to vibrate the diaphragm.
That top part rests directly on your lip and there is a little pop filter to keep your plosives in check.
There is a built-in high pass filter so it rejects any sound below the frequencies typically used by the human voice.
But my favorite trick… a labyrinthian internal baffle system.
(I found a diagram of this when researching but then I lost the tab and I cannot find it again. So you’ll just have to accept this crude photoshop I did in 30 seconds to help you understand.)
Sound is energy. And that energy is diminished the farther it travels. The inverse square law for sound states that the intensity of sound decreases by approximately 6 dB for each doubling of distance from the sound source. Sound also diminishes when it reflects off a surface.
That is a very sciency way of saying… make sounds go through a tiny maze and only sounds with the most energy will prevail.
So if you have your lip pressed up against the front of the mic, your voice’s energy will make it through the labyrinth of baffles without issue. But every other sound in the stadium will have a much harder time getting through.
These mics may even be vuvuzela-proof.
And even more amazing… this microphone was designed in the 1950s and they have yet to create anything better for incredibly noisy environments.
sorry for posting so much this week, I’ve been on “staycation” and had a spike of drawing energy
Anonymous
Anonymous asked:
Random thought but I was thinking if lily was breastfeeding Harry before she died and when sev took him it was a struggle cause he didn’t want formula.
*baby Harry touching snape’s chest looking for milk*
😭 honestly so adorable. The idea of Severus taking in baby Harry is just 🤌🏼. I love it. It’s amazing. But the image of this is honestly so fucking cute and hilarous, I love it.
Harry, sitting down: Yeah? What’s this about? Are we eating dinner early?
Snape: No. You wish. Anyways, back to my planned topic of the evening. There will come a time in your life where you will meet a lovely witch- or wizard and-
Harry: When will you give up on trying to teach me? I Know!
Snape: *scoffs* Well don’t come running to me when you contract wizarding gonorrhea.
Harry: What’s the difference between wizarding and regular gonorrhea?
Snape: Exactly why you need to sit the fuck down and listen.
(in chronological order of how a severitus story would go)
snape: Enough! How dare you mock me in such a manner!? harry: Well. How would you like me to mock you? I take requests.
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harry: Are you this rude to everyone?! snape: Yes. snape: Although one of your parents was an ass to me in high school, so sometimes I do prefer to be slightly more impolite when I look at your face.
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snape: what’s going on? harry: teenage rebellion. snape: snape: *sighs* what did i say to you this time?
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snape: N… No! harry: A fair rebuttal, dear professor. However, consider this counterpoint: Y… Yes?
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snape: *raises eyebrows* harry: Put those back down, you know you can’t prove it!
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harry: Guess what I’m about to get! snape: On my nerves.
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harry: Am I right, professor? snape: I’m almost certain you’re not, but to be fair, I wasn’t listening.
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harry: We are not mad. We are just disappointed. snape: No, we are mad. harry: Yes. We are. We are livid. But we are going to let this one slide. snape: No, we’re not! harry: Well I’m not a mind reader!
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severus: potter, fuck off. severus: And by “fuck off” I mean “fuck off right back here and listen”, you insufferable brat.
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Harry, after teaching Snape how to text: Merlin’s sake professor, you don’t have to sign your name after every text! Snape: Dear Mr Potter, Suggestion noted. Sincerely, Professor Severus Snape, potions master of Hogwarts.
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Snape: Potter, I must say, I’m very disappointed. Harry: Well, you didn’t have to say it. You could have just thought it.
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snape: I can’t believe you’ve done this….. harry: I’m sorry I didn’t know- snape, on the verge of tears: YOU CAN’T JUST BUY ME A GIFT OUT OF NOWHERE NOW I FEEL LIKE AN ASSHOLE-
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snape: Mr Potter. In vain I have struggled. It will not do. It will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how desperately I wish to adopt you.
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harry: severus? snape: Yes? harry: I’m.. I’m bah- bise- bihsex- snape: I don’t have all day- harry: *points at ron and hermione* harry: Both. snape: harry: snape: wait, how did you get into my office?
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harry: I’m going the fight the next person who insults severus. snape: I hate myself. harry: Alright, square up.
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Bonus:
*While they’re fighting death eaters or some shit like that* snape, warning about a death eater coming at harry: To the left! harry: Take it back now y'all!
POV: You’re Albus Dumbledore, and you just told your resident Ex-Death Eater that Harry Potter will be returning to his abusive relatives for his “protection”.
“He’ll wake up, he always does.” - Snape has an unfortunate habit of passing out after arriving home from a DE meeting and ensuring Potter was safe.
The cruciatus curse doesn’t leave physical marks. A mouth filled with blood from biting his tongue was always a tell tale sign to Harry that Snape was gonna be on the floor for awhile and would have shaky hands for a few days to come.
Anonymous
