[mike777]

http://www.kurzweilai.net/news/frame.html?....html?id%3D6603


Building the Bionic Man

Doctors' Gadgets.com, Mar. 26, 2007


Advances in medical prostheses and computer technology are making the dream of building a bionic human a reality.

[Gerben42]

And what would this change for the man-in-the-street? Not much I would think. It will be a great development for amputees, though.

[mike777]

Gerben42, on Mar 29 2007, 03:17 AM, said:

And what would this change for the man-in-the-street? Not much I would think. It will be a great development for amputees, though.

Really great question.



For those not blind..deaf or lack of limb......my guess is in next 50 years...add other organs?

Otherwise just assume...eyes...ears....hands.. arms...legs ..and feet.

[helene_t]

mike777, on Mar 29 2007, 10:55 AM, said:

For those not blind..deaf or lack of limb......my guess is in next 50 years...add other organs?

I doubt it.

There was a famous cyberpunk who added a third arm to his own boddy. Others decorate their boddy with tatoos and piercing. In earlier times, Chinese women got their feet mutilated, and the same hapened to the foreheads of babies in various cultures. Female genitial mutilation is still common in parts of Africa. And golden teeth are a sign of social status in some cultures.

It's worth noticing that none of those habbits are popular in modern societies. The exception being facelifts and breast enlargement in the U.S. But even that is not very popular outside the U.S., and even in the U.S. it's usually not aimed at something more extreme than mimicking something within the normal range of a young person.

Why do people prefer porcelain teeth to golden teeth? Gold "looks" more expensive while in fact being cheaper, and it's better. And given that we use gold for decoration, I don't think it's "objectively" ugly (if there is such a thing).

I'm sure it's possible to make implant that can make life easier for normal people. An additional, artificial liver could make us less susceptible to food poisoning. An extra bladder would be practical at a drinking party where the toilets are constantly occupied. Electronic brain enhancements could replace notepads, TomToms, watches, alarm clocks and pocket calculators. Maybe some such devises will become imposible to live without.

But so far, it seems to me that people strongly prefer more "natural" alternatives, even if much less convenient and much more expensive.

[mike777]

I don't. Just think....Artificial womb in the next 50 years.....Would not surprise me.

[Gerben42]

Quote

I don't. Just think....Artificial womb in the next 50 years.....Would not surprise me.

Is this a good idea? In the Netherlands there has been an extensive long-term study on early-born children and it turns out they have a much higher likelyhood to have severe psychological problems when they grow up.

Although this might be good for Western Europe's birth rate (women no longer need to take a long break from their job), I shiver at the thought that it might produce a whole generation of psychologically unstable children.

[bid_em_up]

Bionic Anus

"Aimed at combating severe feacal incontinence, the Acticon Neosphincter simulates normal sphincter function to give the patient control over defecation through a pressurized system."

Great, just what the world needs. Extra strength assholes.