Lifehackers, Grinders, CyberPunks, Transhumanists, Futurists, Cyborgs, are all terms used to describe a rising subculture of individuals modifying their bodies to incorporate technology. Grinders are hardcore Biohackers that have moved beyond intermittent fasting and sleep tracking onto cybernetics - the science of communications and automatic control systems inside living things. 

While the subculture has its roots in body art modification, the developing technological capabilities are of interest to everyone from the medical community to open source developers. The most sophisticated implantation to date can be found inside the left arm of Kevin Warwick, professor of cybernetics at the University of Reading, who can control a robot arm by moving his own. The system also works the other way, he can sense his wife's movements in his own body after she had a similar implantation. Other applications include a chip sensor that lets you lock and unlock your computer, car or house, implants for improved sex, wireless device charging and a leg-based wireless internet router aimed at creating an 'Internet of legs'. A bonus tip for the fainthearted: avoid Google image searches on the topic if you're not prepared for the weird. 

Here's the deal, these technologies are already being introduced into health and wellness retail environments and while the masses aren't flocking to insert augmenting technology into their bodies just yet. It is worth imagining what the Grinder Biohacking movement might mean for the future of customer experiences. We put the call out to some of the best minds in the Australian digital space to get their bets: 

Katie Cerar, Senior Product Lead, Shopify Plus

"Imagine walking into a clothing store and having an associate bring a curated selection of items based on your tastes and preferences, then paying for them with a wave of your hand. Science Fiction? Not for long.

As long as humans have lived in societies, they've found innovative ways to improve trade. The first currencies appeared close to five thousand years ago, in communities in the middle east and Asia. Over time, empires developed their own monetary systems, minting coins to facilitate trade, internally and with others. Coins travelled the world, with Roman coins being unearthed in medieval castles in Japan.

Fast forward a few millennia, and we continue to see advances in payments, geared to making the process faster, more secure and less vulnerable to risk. In our connected world, it's expected to be able to buy almost anything online, from anyone, anywhere. Yet payment system still faces threats of fraud, currency fluctuations and significant transfer costs. 

While new technologies bring payments forward, they've tended to follow a familiar pattern, improved hardware and software. Credit cards gave way to pins, then to Apple pay and mobile transactions. There are now instances using facial recognition for payments such as WePay. Still, there are significant risks and concerns that this facial re-ignition undermines our privacy. 

But the grinder movement shows that there's going to be a jump shift in the hardware. 

What if our bodies were the hardware to enable payments? Experiments have already been made where biohackers use embedded microchips to make Bitcoin transactions. What if we could make a choice when to initiate a purchase, to review it using our bodies, to approve it and to carry on. Commerce in stores and physical locations would change significantly. Travel and access to events could be as simple as a Thanos-like finger snap. 

Payments are the centre of commerce, and the biohacking movement opens up endless possibilities."

Wayne Krowitz, Partner Manager, Emarsys:

"Meow-Ludo Disco Gamma Meow-Meow!!

No, this is not a rendition of Cats... 

Meow-Ludo Disco Gamma Meow-Meow is the legal name of Sydney biohacker who made headlines a couple of years ago for implanting his 'bus pass' into his body, essentially hacking the NSW transport Opal card, allowing him to pay for his transport with the flick of a wrist.

But transit inspectors were having none of it, fining him $220 for fare evasion. Later in court, Meow-Meow pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay $1,000. Despite the massive legal action, he saw this in a positive light and was happy to use this case to leverage his agenda and the conversation about civil rights, biohacking and the future of tech.

This is just one, somewhat extreme case of biohacking. More often than not, it can be achieved through other less drastic measures such as; diet control, the timing of natural cycles (sleep, eat, reproductivity, etc.) and tapping into existing infrastructure (think smart devices and IoT).

There is, however, one common denominator – improving the experience and life of the individual.

If Meow-Meow is anything to go by, my bet is on the Grinder movement improving customer experiences in travel. Forget boarding passes, passports and touching on - no one needs the hassle!"

Matthew Craig, Director, MindArc: 

"It was only a matter of time before integrating technology with our own bodies was going to become more mainstream.

This could completely change the way we interact or interface with technologies. Even down to essential functions like using a mouse or keyboard to control your computer, or making payments using your credit cards whilst shopping in a store or online – we may see these interactions become a thing of the past.

I would like to think that collectively we can use technology to help improve the quality of life for those individuals that may struggle with everyday functions or actions due to disability or ailment. Can we use the grinder biohacking movement to improve the lives of people less fortunate? It would be great to see accessibility improve because of this, rather than just focussing on obscure augmentations or trying to simplify life.

Today the modern cyborgs are already equipped with some of these biohacking implants like bionic eyes or smart insulin monitors. If we can help further improve how individuals experience their day-to-day lives, I see that as a win for humanity."

Danny Phillips, Co-founder Omneo and Arkade: 

"If the exponential growth of Apple's "Wearables and Hearables" business is anything to go by, consumers are excited by technologies that are apart of their everyday actions, in a way that enhances their experience rather than interrupts. What I hear (AirPods), how much I move (Apple Watch), and what I see (Apple rumoured AR Glasses) is a clear indication of a transition towards biohacking. These technologies are literally only millimetres (and a short few years) away from going from "Wearables" to "Embeddables" for those with no fear of merging their physical and digital existence."

So, what's the bottom line? Since the biohacking movement encompasses a dizzying array of pursuits, the possibilities for the future of Customer Experiences for "Grinders" are limitless. Those of us in the business of serving our best customers better will need to navigate a wild west of data security and privacy, finding the right location on the creepy-convenient continuum... 

While the movement is emblematic of the ongoing shift in customer expectations, it also sheds light on something we've been banging on about for a while: technology for the utility of the customer and intentional participation. So while Omneo might not have an embed for you just yet, we're excited to see how brands will use these emerging technologies to keep the customer in the middle of everything they do.

Tess O’Brien