Running on Non-Free Software
summary
A patient with an implanted defibrillator experiences a sudden shocked in the shower event; hospital records show an EKG distortion yet clinicians cannot change the device timing because manufacturers lock the firmware and send salespeople instead of engineers. The device is regulated as a Class III device in Germany but certification still allows non‑updatable Bluetooth stacks. A free‑software solution exists — OpenAPS artificial pancreas — and changing a single timing variable would likely remove the malfunction.
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chapters (10)
- 0:00Introduction
- 0:22Personal cyborg experience
- 1:28Initial trust in non-free devices
- 2:29First shock and realization
- 3:32Doctor’s limited control
- 4:58Salesperson visit reveals issues
- 5:40Free software as a solution
- 7:05Regulation and certification
- 8:31Bodily autonomy and free software
- 10:41Call to action
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