Barret and his cybernetic arm from Eidos Montreal's "Deus Ex: Human Revolution."
“Ash could now hear approaching sirens in the distance, so he pulled himself together and half limped, half jogged to the front door, thankful that police response times were so lousy. Out of the stairwell came the guards, fanning out in a semicircle to entrap him. At the same time, a black car came screeching to a halt at the front door, driving straight up the pedestrian walkway. Ash recognized the car and smiled; it was the Charger he had previously driven, now only a few seconds away. Then, with a glance back, Ash saw something that he found quite peculiar. The guards, rather than continuing to chase after him, stopped short and waited while the receptionist stood up, revealing her lower body to be entirely cybernetic. Ash wasn’t checking out her gams, though. Instead he focused on her arm, the cybernetic one, which she raised and pointed at Ash. The segments that composed the outer shell of her forearm split open and folded back, an SMG deploying from the inside, blossoming forth like a black flower of death, the heavily ported muzzle tracking him as he moved.”
This passage from my cyberpunk, sci-fi romp, “Jupiter Symphony,” showcases what a lot of people involved in futurism like to showcase: the ubiquitous cybernetic limb, often containing some kind of special ability, such as a hidden weapon or computer equipment. Obviously these kinds of heavy upgrades are far in the future, things we’ll never really get to experience, but is that really the case? Will we have advanced cybernetic limbs within our lifetime, ones that mimic the same function and form as their biological counterparts? Will they be even better, prompting people to upgrade themselves for more speed, strength, and dexterity? This is obviously a topic of great interest to writers and readers of science fiction, or even those who suffer from a disability or want to become engaged in the world of medical devices. The world of cybernetics is vast and varied, offering limitless opportunity.
However, before we can jump forward into the joy of speculating (and it really is this joy that brings me to write sci-fi), we should create a base of knowledge we can go off of, and that means starting with prosthesis, both throughout history and up to modern times.
The popular site io9.com has a fascinating set of examples of prosthetics dating back through time, including the impressive iron hand of Gottfried Von Berlichingen, an iron contraption that must have been both terribly heavy but also incredibly complex and inventive.
This passage from my cyberpunk, sci-fi romp, “Jupiter Symphony,” showcases what a lot of people involved in futurism like to showcase: the ubiquitous cybernetic limb, often containing some kind of special ability, such as a hidden weapon or computer equipment. Obviously these kinds of heavy upgrades are far in the future, things we’ll never really get to experience, but is that really the case? Will we have advanced cybernetic limbs within our lifetime, ones that mimic the same function and form as their biological counterparts? Will they be even better, prompting people to upgrade themselves for more speed, strength, and dexterity? This is obviously a topic of great interest to writers and readers of science fiction, or even those who suffer from a disability or want to become engaged in the world of medical devices. The world of cybernetics is vast and varied, offering limitless opportunity.
However, before we can jump forward into the joy of speculating (and it really is this joy that brings me to write sci-fi), we should create a base of knowledge we can go off of, and that means starting with prosthesis, both throughout history and up to modern times.
The popular site io9.com has a fascinating set of examples of prosthetics dating back through time, including the impressive iron hand of Gottfried Von Berlichingen, an iron contraption that must have been both terribly heavy but also incredibly complex and inventive.
We can go back even further, though, and find examples from ancient Egypt that survives to this day, which would have come from roughly 1000 BC! Clearly this is a process that has been in development for some time, so what drives it?
The short answer can be summed up quite simply: war and genetics. Congenital birth defects have always been a factor in human development, and so would naturally be a reason for the development of prosthetic limbs, especially among the wealthy. War, one could say, has also been a factor in human development. War is both the cause of lost limbs (as we know far too well from the use of IEDs), and also the reason for so many advances in prosthetic technology.
The design of prosthesis has become much more complex as time has passed, with major developments occurring from WWII up to modern times, when commercial companies became more involved and private firms started funding novel solutions. Because no two people are built the same way, crafting a prosthetic limb has become a bit of an art form. There is also great variance in limb types, such as above or below the elbow prosthesis. One of the most difficult and advanced replacement limbs, and one that will likely drive the most innovation, is a transfemoral amputation, where the leg is lost above the knee. For these people to walk requires roughly 80% more energy than a person with their legs intact. It is for this reason that advance prosthesis are now coming into play that utilize servos, hydraulics, sensors, and microprocessors to restore a range of motion previously thought lost.
Modern prosthesis that are at the cutting edge may use a combination of advanced materials, 3D printing, CAD/CAM design, robotics, and even mobile device connectivity. Yes, you can adjust your prosthetic leg from your smartphone, such as with the C-Leg 4 from ottobock. With powered units, an amputee no longer needs to put in so much extra energy for locomotion.
The design of prosthesis has become much more complex as time has passed, with major developments occurring from WWII up to modern times, when commercial companies became more involved and private firms started funding novel solutions. Because no two people are built the same way, crafting a prosthetic limb has become a bit of an art form. There is also great variance in limb types, such as above or below the elbow prosthesis. One of the most difficult and advanced replacement limbs, and one that will likely drive the most innovation, is a transfemoral amputation, where the leg is lost above the knee. For these people to walk requires roughly 80% more energy than a person with their legs intact. It is for this reason that advance prosthesis are now coming into play that utilize servos, hydraulics, sensors, and microprocessors to restore a range of motion previously thought lost.
Modern prosthesis that are at the cutting edge may use a combination of advanced materials, 3D printing, CAD/CAM design, robotics, and even mobile device connectivity. Yes, you can adjust your prosthetic leg from your smartphone, such as with the C-Leg 4 from ottobock. With powered units, an amputee no longer needs to put in so much extra energy for locomotion.
Image via ottobockus.com.
So with all of this intersecting technology, what does the future hold?
Well, a lot of moral dilemmas, for one. One of the great advancements in prosthetics is the sensors that detect electric signals from the remaining muscles in a patient’s limb, triggering the unit to move. There are already hand units that relay information back to the user’s central nervous system, such as how much pressure is being applied. Think Luke’s hand at the end of The Empire Strikes Back.
Well, a lot of moral dilemmas, for one. One of the great advancements in prosthetics is the sensors that detect electric signals from the remaining muscles in a patient’s limb, triggering the unit to move. There are already hand units that relay information back to the user’s central nervous system, such as how much pressure is being applied. Think Luke’s hand at the end of The Empire Strikes Back.
As this type of feedback becomes more effective and efficient, and as the limbs themselves become more powerful and capable, would we reach a point where a prosthetic limb is no longer a requirement, but a request? This, now, is where we begin to branch into the world of cybernetics, including neuralprosthetics, or a brain—computer interface. Treatments for conditions such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s are already experiencing the benefits of these devices, many of which receive energy wirelessly. Pacemakers benefit humans with heart conditions, while insulin pumps keep diabetics alive (and, yes, I call my diabetic friend a cyborg because it’s true).
Clearly there are technical hurdles to overcome, such as a long term energy supply, but none of the present challenges are really very difficult when compared to more lofty goals such as quantum computing or artificial intelligence. So where do we draw the line? What do we humans decide is fair? Do only people who have birth defects or amputations receive new limbs? Do these limbs have to have the same performance as the lost organic material, or can they exceed that benchmark? Can people willingly have limbs swapped out to do a job? How about a soldier with cybernetic arms and legs? A doctor who has a hand that has stability and accuracy greater than the steadiest neurosurgeon? An athlete who can run faster and farther? We can already look to Oscar Pistorius, the “blade runner,” who ran in the Olympics with carbon fiber feet.
Make no mistake, we are very, very close to crossing the bridge between simple prosthetic limbs and full cybernetics, capable of sensing everything a human limb could, or even more. It is both exciting and frightening, but something that we should all be aware of. The more we can think about and weigh in on these topics now, the better the future will be. It is only when we blindly stumble into new technology that terrible things happen. As 3D printing becomes more reliable, we might not even be able to regulate who creates their own new limbs, whether they need them or not. 3D printed organs are becoming the norm in hospitals around the world, and metal 3D printing is advancing at a great pace.
I leave you with the ultimate question to ponder, one that sums up the endpoint of prosthesis and that will really drive you to question your stance on the issue. It comes not from a scientific journal or a textbook, but rather from an old, hilarious animated show called SeaLab 2021. The question is simple, but deep.
Would you put your brain in a robot body?
You don’t have to answer now… but you might have to answer before you realize.
A.C. Harrison
Like what you see here? Spread the word and support indie authors! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter. Find me on Smashwords and Kindlemojo.
Clearly there are technical hurdles to overcome, such as a long term energy supply, but none of the present challenges are really very difficult when compared to more lofty goals such as quantum computing or artificial intelligence. So where do we draw the line? What do we humans decide is fair? Do only people who have birth defects or amputations receive new limbs? Do these limbs have to have the same performance as the lost organic material, or can they exceed that benchmark? Can people willingly have limbs swapped out to do a job? How about a soldier with cybernetic arms and legs? A doctor who has a hand that has stability and accuracy greater than the steadiest neurosurgeon? An athlete who can run faster and farther? We can already look to Oscar Pistorius, the “blade runner,” who ran in the Olympics with carbon fiber feet.
Make no mistake, we are very, very close to crossing the bridge between simple prosthetic limbs and full cybernetics, capable of sensing everything a human limb could, or even more. It is both exciting and frightening, but something that we should all be aware of. The more we can think about and weigh in on these topics now, the better the future will be. It is only when we blindly stumble into new technology that terrible things happen. As 3D printing becomes more reliable, we might not even be able to regulate who creates their own new limbs, whether they need them or not. 3D printed organs are becoming the norm in hospitals around the world, and metal 3D printing is advancing at a great pace.
I leave you with the ultimate question to ponder, one that sums up the endpoint of prosthesis and that will really drive you to question your stance on the issue. It comes not from a scientific journal or a textbook, but rather from an old, hilarious animated show called SeaLab 2021. The question is simple, but deep.
Would you put your brain in a robot body?
You don’t have to answer now… but you might have to answer before you realize.
A.C. Harrison
Like what you see here? Spread the word and support indie authors! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter. Find me on Smashwords and Kindlemojo.
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