To promote their Matrix franchise, Warner Brothers has commissioned several prominent researchers and philosophers to discuss the philosophy of the Matrix movies. In this essay Kevin Warwick, argues that like in the movie, humanity will soon be at war with intelligent machines. He argues that we should convert ourselves into cyborgs argues that transforming ourselves into Cyborgs to control these machines and fully benefit from all that such a future offers.
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.
A fascinating article on the possibility of advanced genetic engineering and cyborg technologies being able to endow humans with comic book superhero powers.
The soldier of the future could be able to leap buildings, heal his own wounds, deflect bullets and become invisible. These are just some of the futuristic plans of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology which has been selected by the US army to create the battlefield equivalent of Robocop.
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."
Researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have developed a lightweight space age generator that can generate 25 watts and keep going for a week. The generator will enable future soldiers and police officers to carry laser weapons and sophisticated computer, navigation, and imaging equipment.
A giant leap for mankind may have begun with one small flip of a robotic fish. The fish is the first robot to be powered by real muscles and American military chiefs believe that the same technology could be harnessed to enable soldiers to leap tall buildings.
Humans merging with robots and other technologies is "inevitable," says robotics pioneer Rodney Brooks. However, a lot of work still needs to be done, and the toughest task may be making humans comfortable with becoming something other than human.
Greater reliance on robotics and advanced networking will revolutionize warfare within 15 years, according to a top military official who forecasts future trends in warfare and technology. Robotic vehicles and manned vehicles will work together, linked by digital networks, predicted Frank Fernandez, director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Pentagon's central research and development organization.
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.