Upgrade Yourself

12 Emerging Technologies For Voluntary Cyborgs

By Akela Talamasca on July 15, 2009

Science moves forward, and takes with it the human body. Over the centuries humans have adapted to live longer, healthier lives. And as the pace of scientific advancement continues, so with it does our ability to modify and improve ourselves to deal with the changing circumstances of our world. Some of these advancements are necessary for the continuation of life, others are for the specialization and longevity of the human body, while still others are to make us better, faster, and stronger organisms that can achieve the impossible. The following are thirteen advances in science that have taken us from “mere human” to “super human”.

Bionic Vision



Ever wanted night vision? Or double the visual abilities of “perfect”? Well, the bionic eye will be able to help. Currently it’s being developed to help blind people regain vision, but the field of adaptive optics is moving closer and closer to perfecting night vision and helping those with perfect vision go even farther. So, completely blind or with perfect sight, the bionic eye can help you see beyond the capacities of any normal human.

The C-Leg



The C-Leg is a military grade prosthetic limb with an intelligent system that measure’s your gait 50 times per second for real time adjustments. One of the strongest and most advanced prosthetic limbs in the world, it is the U.S. military’s choice for a prosthetic leg for its soldiers. Made primarily from titanium, this leg gives you more strength and durability than any human leg could. If you’re not in the military, it will set you back $30,000 to $40,000 though.

The XOS Exoskeleton



If you ever saw “Iron Man”, you probably said exactly the same thing everyone else did; “Where can I get one of those?!” From Raytheon Company of course. The XOS Exoskeleton can be put on like an overcoat, but once on the wearer can easily lift 200 lbs. with one arm. 500 times in a row. Without breaking a sweat. Minus the ability to fly and the lack of weapons attached, this is the “Iron Man” suit.


The Rocket Belt



Since the 1960’s, various forms of jet packs and rocket belts have been successfully tested and used. If you have $125,000 lying around, you can own your own rocket belt and fly for up to 30 seconds at a time. Or you can spring for the more advanced T-73 Jet pack and fly for a full nine minutes, and up to 11 miles. At the very least, you can have one hell of a morning commute.

The Bionic Ear



Currently the most advanced bionic ear system involves an implant, software, a processor, and a wearable earpiece. The system allows you to hear the world more accurately and gives you much better audio acuity than any human ear can offer. It’s used with the hearing impaired to improve hearing, and can be used to increase general hearing with a healthy ear.

The Bullet Stopping T-Shirt



Lightweight, comfortable, but definitely not cotton. This brand new nano-technology involves spinning a fabric constructed out of carbon nanotubes. It’s seventeen times tougher than Kevlar and four times tougher than spider’s silk (which is five times tougher than steel). The bullet may still leave a mark, but rest assured, the bruise will fade.

Cybernetics



How about controlling a machine with your mind that reacts faster than your body possibly could? Or watching a monkey control a robot walking on a treadmill with its mind halfway across the world? One of these has already happened, and the other is quickly approaching. The ability to control a machine with your mind is one that’s created villains and fueled fantasies. Cybernetics research is quickly evolving to the point where, “if you can dream it, you can do it” isn’t just for Disney anymore.

Neural Implants



Neurotechnology is an emerging field that implants a device into your brain, allowing you to control an external device through thinking. Currently a quadriplegic man with one of these devices can control a machine the size of a room with only his mind. So, depending on the device you’re controlling, “superhuman” is a bit of an understatement.

Regeneration



The Holy Grail, or “Cup of Life” has been a quest of many, and obsession of few, and become a possibility with modern technology. Scientists are currently developing methods of regenerating limbs, organs, and body systems with the help of stem cells and current natural technologies found in other organisms. Because who wouldn’t want a fresh heart when they’re sixty.

Mind Reading



Ever wanted to know what someone was thing, or tell if they were lying? Well, now you can. At least, you can if you’re a scientist with a neural imager. By measuring a variety of neural activities, scientists have begun to read people spatial memories. If they can tell where you are (or have been), it’s just a matter of time until you can hold a device up to someone and know if he/she is, in fact, just not that into you.

Teleporting



“Beam me up, Scotty” isn’t just a famous line from television and the movies, it’s the idea of teleporting someone instantly from one place to another. Any who wouldn’t want that? You could go anywhere, anytime, at a moments notice. While science hasn’t gotten quite to that point, scientists are exploring the real possibility of teleporting matter beyond atoms (which has been done, incidentally) between locations. So if you can’t send yourself somewhere, maybe at the very least you could send a camera, or a monkey.

Breathe Underwater



If you’re a diver, you know how arduous a process it is to go diving. You must make sure all your gear is ready, re-check everything, and have a very short time while underwater because of the small amount of oxygen you can take. Now at least, time is no object. With the creation of an underwater breathing vest that filters oxygen out of the water around you, feel free to stay underwater as long as you want.