Comments on: National Geographic: The Bionic Age http://www.smalltownwren.com/2010/01/national-geographic-the-bionic-age/ Moving Home Again Sun, 25 Dec 2011 20:47:54 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Wren Roberts http://www.smalltownwren.com/2010/01/national-geographic-the-bionic-age/comment-page-1/#comment-138 Wren Roberts Tue, 12 Jan 2010 06:24:50 +0000 http://www.smalltownwren.com/?p=332#comment-138 Cyborg as you might be, most wouldn't classify glasses as a true modification. Case in point: you can remove your glasses without any difficulty whatsoever. What I find so exciting about this is how <em>integrated</em> these prosthetic are. These things are giving sight back to the seriously blind (not how you are blind, anyway). They're working on giving sensation and feeling back to lost limbs. I find this incredible. It's light years away from traditional prosthetics. As for the sleep regulators, I'm with you there. Though I've got to say, I'm banning you from them for life if all you're going to do is use that extra time to work more and <em>only</em> work more. Cyborg as you might be, most wouldn’t classify glasses as a true modification. Case in point: you can remove your glasses without any difficulty whatsoever.

What I find so exciting about this is how integrated these prosthetic are. These things are giving sight back to the seriously blind (not how you are blind, anyway). They’re working on giving sensation and feeling back to lost limbs. I find this incredible. It’s light years away from traditional prosthetics.

As for the sleep regulators, I’m with you there. Though I’ve got to say, I’m banning you from them for life if all you’re going to do is use that extra time to work more and only work more.

]]> By: John http://www.smalltownwren.com/2010/01/national-geographic-the-bionic-age/comment-page-1/#comment-137 John Mon, 11 Jan 2010 23:58:41 +0000 http://www.smalltownwren.com/?p=332#comment-137 Technically I'm already a cyborg, and we've had them for hundreds of years. My personal modification are my glasses, without which I'd be blind. Even simpler, replacement limbs have been around for ages, even as basic as a stump for a leg. I think the real change in the terms recognition will come about when these devices aren't used to return a person to 'normal working condition', but to enhance themselves. This is already becoming an issue with certain prosthetic legs in the Olympics: http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/17/prosthetic-limbed-runner-disqualified-from-olympics/ Personally, if they ever introduce a sleep regulator, I'm getting one. It's a theoretical device that basically "sets" you into deep REM sleep, significantly cutting down on the amount of sleep a person needs each night by cutting out the wasted minutes or hours getting to productive sleep. Of course, no one will be able to get one... or most of these proposed prosthetic limbs already in existence, because no one can afford it and most insurance will only cover the most basic prosthetics if any. Technically I’m already a cyborg, and we’ve had them for hundreds of years.
My personal modification are my glasses, without which I’d be blind. Even simpler, replacement limbs have been around for ages, even as basic as a stump for a leg.

I think the real change in the terms recognition will come about when these devices aren’t used to return a person to ‘normal working condition’, but to enhance themselves.

This is already becoming an issue with certain prosthetic legs in the Olympics:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/17/prosthetic-limbed-runner-disqualified-from-olympics/

Personally, if they ever introduce a sleep regulator, I’m getting one. It’s a theoretical device that basically “sets” you into deep REM sleep, significantly cutting down on the amount of sleep a person needs each night by cutting out the wasted minutes or hours getting to productive sleep.

Of course, no one will be able to get one… or most of these proposed prosthetic limbs already in existence, because no one can afford it and most insurance will only cover the most basic prosthetics if any.

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