TCS | Meet the CHIPendales – South Africa’s biohacker duo

Loading player...
In this special episode of the TechCentral Show (TCS) – presented by MTN Business – Duncan McLeod chats to two South African biohackers, Daniel de Kock and Jarryd Bekker, about why they have voluntarily installed microchips in their bodies.
Respectively the chief technology officer and CEO of Riot Network – the wireless broadband specialist that is building low-cost networks in underserviced areas, including Olievenhoutbosch in Gauteng – they tell TechCentral about why they chose to implant the chips and what they’re used for.
The pair, who both profess a desire to receive brain implants from Elon Musk’s Neuralink, explain how they started augmenting their biological bodies with electronics, what’s involved, the information they’re able to glean from the chips, and where the fusion of human biology and electronics is headed over the coming decade.
In the interview, Bekker and De Kock unpack how electronic circuitry in the human body can help detect and manage serious health issues, and the impact this could have on fighting disease and prolonging people’s lives.
The two discuss a range of issues related to biohacking, including:
• What’s involved when it’s time to upgrade the chips;
• How one goes about having them installed;
• The growing online biohacker community;
• Integration with artificial intelligence; and
• Much more.
Don’t miss this offbeat but fascinating discussion!
17 Apr 2024 English South Africa Technology · Business

Other recent episodes

TCS+ | Videsha Proothveerajh on Vodacom Business’s new approach to enterprise technology

Vodacom Business recently appointed an “extraordinary business advisory board”, a strategic initiative designed to strengthen its enterprise expertise and support organisations on their digital transformation journeys. To unpack the decision to appoint an advisory board, TechCentral is joined in this episode of TCS+ by Videsha Proothveerajh, director of Vodacom Business,…
28 Oct 32 min

TCS | The company building a ‘living computer’ with human cells

The invention of the silicon transistor was fundamental to the success of the digital age, driving the core of the modern-day digital economy. The rise of generative AI has put hardware at the epicentre of the next wave of economic growth, with chip makers such as Nvidia and AMD reaching…
23 Oct 19 min

TCS+ | Managing Sims, saving money: how MSB Micro keeps businesses connected

In today’s hyperconnected society, mobile connectivity is key to running a successful business, helping keep employees connected to each other, to organisational resources and to customers. To manage communications effectively, businesses need to have a clear view of the entire Sim estate across the organisation. Monitoring usage and having the…
22 Oct 12 min

TCS | Why South Africans are starting to spend crypto, not just trade it

Cryptocurrencies are increasingly moving beyond being seen as an investment asset as users find more real-world uses in everyday contexts. It appears that crypto is becoming more like cash – with users prepared to use it as the point of sale. Crypto payments specialist MoneyBadger recently signed a deal with…
22 Oct 29 min

TCS+ | Cloud On Demand's Senzo Mbhele on the benefits of the AWS distribution model

When most people think of Amazon Web Services, they automatically assume they should go directly to AWS. However, for the diverse ecosystem of AWS partners – including managed service providers and independent software vendors – the real secret to achieving significant growth often lies in leveraging the distributor model. Consider…
10 Oct 51 min