Cyborg - Future of Mankind
Kanika Narang, B-Tech
student at Northern India Engineering College, New
Delhi
Introduction
Attachments and interfaces mediate our
interaction with the environment and usually are positioned on the surface of
the body. Physical objects would be called tools or attachments, while
information utilities would be called interfaces. In the same way a neural
interface allows human brain communicate directly with a computer, without any
other equipment.
An article on neural
interfacing in the IEEE Transactions reports that “a Microelectrode capable of
recording from and stimulating peripheral nerves at Prolonged intervals after surgical
implantation has been demonstrated.” These tiny silicon based arrays were
implanted into the peroneal of rats and remained operative for up to 13 months.
The ingeniously designed chip is placed in the pathway of the
surgically severed nerve. The regenerating nerve grows through a matrix of
holes in the chip, while the regenerating tissue surrounding it anchors the
device in place. This chip receives the signals from
the surrounding nerves and sends it to a computer
through a wireless medium. Within several decades, active versions of
these chips could provide a direct neural interface with prosthetic
limbs, and by extension, a direct human-computer interface.
Human
being artificially transformed into a machine by providing a proper interface
between man and machine.
Experiments Proposed by cyborg Steve Mann:
As discussed earlier the chip in the implant
will receive signals from the nerve fibers and send them to a computer
instantaneously. For example, when we move a finger, an electronic
Signal travels from the brain to
activate the muscles and tendons that operate the hand. These Nerve impulses will reach the finger. The
implanted silicon chip receives these nerve pulses and it sends the signal of
impulses to a
computer through wireless path. The
signal from the implant will be analog, so we'll have to convert it
to digital in order to store it in the computer. The computer
receives the signal and sends it back to the implant. This ensures whether the
same response of moving the finger will be by sending same impulse signal to the
implant. When we waggle the left index finger, it will send a corresponding signal via the implant to the
computer; here it will be recorded and stored. Next, we can transmit this
signal to the implant, hoping to generate an action similar to the original. No processing will be done inside the implant.
Rather, it will only send and receive signals,
much like a telephone handset sends and receives sound waves.
It's true that onboard power would increase the options for programming more
complex tasks into the implant, but that would require a much larger device.
In the similar way experiments are proposed
to be conducted to provide vision to blind people. In this
method a camera is made to have an interface with the implant.
This camera captures
images and sends them to the
silicon chip implant where the images are
sent to the brain and processing takes place with this the image is seen
by the blind person even without his eyes.[1]
CYBER SOLDIER:
Certainly, the military has already considered the
possibility of the super-soldier, augmented by
technology so that he has faster reflexes,
deadlier accuracy, greater resistance to fatigue, integrated
weaponry, and most importantly, lesser inclinations toward
fear or doubt in combat. Such soldiers could be created through
combinations of biochemical, bioelectronics, and DNA manipulation, which is
already a great success. They might have available arsenals of new biological
warfare components, synthetically generated within their own bodies.
Brain cells transformed of silicon tubes:
Neurons thread themselves through semiconductor tubes, opening up possibilities for interfacing these cells with computers.
Neurons, which make up the main part of our brain and nervous system, are composed of a main body and a long extension called an axon, which carries signals away from the body and towards other neurons. Through creating a very small tube from layers of silicone and germanium, neurons would push their axons through the tube, leaving the cell’s main body, which is too large for the small opening, outside of it. This opens up the possibility of creating engineered networks of cells, planned and organized through these tubes that can be studied through voltage sensors and other equipment. [2][3]
Negative consequences:
One is that the human race
will divide along the lines of biological haves and have-nots. People
with enough money will be able to augment their personal attributes as they see
fit, while the majority of humanity will continue to suffer from plague,
hunger. It's inevitable that there will be those who see the potential of a
sort of master race from this technology. Certainly, the military has already
considered the possibility of the super-soldier,
augmented by technology so that he
has faster reflexes, deadlier accuracy, greater
resistance to fatigue, integrated weaponry, and most importantly,
lesser inclinations toward fear or doubt in combat.
Such soldiers could be created through combinations of biochemical,
bioelectronics, and DNA manipulation, which is already a great success.
They might have available arsenals of new biological warfare components,
synthetically generated within their own bodies. But it's not clear that these
'cyborgs' would not turn on their creators. Indeed, there's no reason at all to
think they would forever allow themselves
to be controlled by inferiors. They could easily become a new
sort of dominant caste, forcing the rest of non-technologized humanity into
serfdom. Or perhaps they might decide simply to eliminate it.
For that reason, it's logical to suspect that one of the
other dangers inherent in bioelectronics might be the ability to control and
monitor people. Certainly, it would be easy to utilize bio-implants that would
allow people to trace the location and perhaps even monitor the condition and
behavior.
This would be a tremendous violation of human privacy, but the
creators of human biotech might see it as necessary to keep their subjects under
control. Once implanted with bio-implant electronic
devices, 'cyborgs' might become highly dependent
on the creators of these devices for their repair, recharge, and
maintenance, thus placing them under
the absolute control of the designers
of the technology. In this way cyborgs may lead many adverse
consequences.
Conclusion
Though cyber organism creation has many advantages it may lead to
negative arguments. When human beings are offered the chance to utilize
computers and electronic technologies within their bodies to achieve the same
results, it is almost certain they will embrace
them regardless of the risks.
Based on this, it would be unrealistic to try and ban such
technologies; however one might worry about their
ethical and social consequences. Cyborg is only for benefit of the human
race and the technology will be created for the betterment of future of
mankind.
References
[1]
Crichton, M. (1990).
Jurassic park. New York: Knopf.
[2]
Dirksen.(1987).George Frederick
Handel(ca.1738)
[3]
geek-cetera,brain-cell-research-brings-us-closer-to-cyborg-future
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