We are entering into an age of transhumanism, the point whereby we use technology to make us something *more than human.
The original ethical arguments surrounding technological implants has changed somewhat. The argument has shifted from whether we should use implants, to exactly whom we should use them on.
Though as with any other modern age or era that we can be said to be experiencing. Transhumanism or cyborgisation as it is also referred to, is not that straightforward. In fact we can split the movement into three distinct groups. The biohackers, the mediborgs and the legaborgs So make sure you know your cyborgs, so you can then work out which one you want to be (or not)!
Dawn Of The Mediborgs
The term cyborg, short for cybernetic organism refers to a living organism having some form of artificial technology implanted within them. The function of the artificial device is to enhance quality of life.
It could be argued that the very first human cyborg was made in 1958, when the first ever pacemaker was implanted into the chest of Arne Larsson of Sweden. From that moment on, it has been becoming more and more acceptable to implant artificial devices into our bodies.
Larsson and all the people that followed him, can be referred to as mediborgs. People who have been given cybernetic implants to aleviate the suffering brought on by a medical condition or accident.
Now the mediborgs are growing in number and becoming more visible, seeing as their augmentations are worn outside the body, like bionic eyes and exoskeletons.
Make Way For The Legaborgs
Legaborg is short for legally allowed cyborg, and are the smallest group of the three, though their numbers are set to swell over the next decade and beyond.
These cyborgs are augmented with tech made, marketed and sold by corporate entities to us, the general public. At the moment the line between legaborg and mediborg is fairly blurred.
That's because at present, the only legaborgs amongst us, are the ones who have been given enhancements to help with a medical condition. For example Neil Harbisson (pictured above) has been given an augmentation which helps him overcome his rare colour blindness condition.
However Harbisson himself has started a company with a friend and have developed a chip to be implanted in the palm of the hand. The chip lets the wearer know when they are pointing towards magnetic North.
It is unclear as yet how many people have had this implant. However what is clear, is this is a growing trend and within 10 years legaborgs will be commonplace.
Biohackers Unite
The biohackers are a growing cyborg movement who are not prepared to wait for the corporate and the legislative world to catch up with their desires.
These people are happily implanting themselves with homemade tech in order to get a head start in the cyborg race.
For instance last year, an electronic engineer called Brian McEvoy, made himself a kind of internal satnav by fitting himself with a subdermal compass.
Then there's Amal Graafstra, who has been inserting various types of radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips into the soft flesh between his thumbs and index fingers since 2005. The chips can be read by scanners that Graafstra has installed in his house and on his computer, giving him access without the need for keys or passwords. Graafstra sells his tech online and has a growing community of followers; also called Grinders as well as biohackers.
i-Cyborg
As far as I'm concerned I'd like to be a mixture of all three. I have terrible eyesight and therefore I'd love to go from that to superhuman vision. Also my knees are shot from years of playing football on crappy surfaces, so give me some titanium knees with servos in please!
Next I would like to have a couple of neural augmentations. First of all I want to be able to download and then speak and understand any language on earth. I also want to be able to connect to the internet and my phone via the power of thought.
From the biohackers I'm not sure yet, but I'm sure they'll come up with lots of lovely goodies for me to insert into my body.
As far as I'm concerned; I've seen the future; and it works!
WHAT ABOUT YOU GUYS? DOES BECOMING A CYBORG EXCITE OR SADDEN YOU? DO YOU WANT TO BE MORE MACHINE-LIKE; OR ARE YOU HAPPY WITH YOUR ORGANIC SELF? AS EVER, LET ME KNOW BELOW!