Bruce Sterling reports from a conference of "robo-ethicists" who are tackling the tough ethical questions of autonomous weapons and brain-machine interfaces.
An excellent coverage of some of the ethical and social implications of research into brain-machine interfaces. The author takes a look at its potential for mind-control or intelligence augmentation, i.e. making humans into cyborgs.
Ray Kurzweil argues that "the union of human and machine is well on its way" through developments in nanotechnology, virtual reality, and brain-machine interfaces. He predicts that humanity will soon "vastly expand our intellect as we merge our biological brains with non-biological intelligence."
THE advent of 'cyborgs' has been brought a step closer by the creation of a strange hybrid creature with a mechanical body controlled by the brain of a fish. As ghoulish as this chimera sounds, it may one day allow people to be fitted with prosthetic devices that are controlled directly by their brain.