Blog: All Eyes and Ears on March of the Cyborgs

All Eyes and Ears on March of the Cyborgs
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) (06/05/10) Smith, Deborah

Medical implants such as heart pacemakers, cochlear implants for the deaf, and brain implants for those with Parkinson's disease are just the beginning of the process of cyborgization, the development of high-tech implants and prostheses that will benefit many people, says Australian National University professor Roger Clarke. On the horizon are bionic eyes that enable the blind to see and muscle implants that could allow paraplegics to stand and even walk, says the University of Melbourne's Rob Shepherd. "The field of medical bionics is rapidly expanding,'' Shepherd says. ''The thing we get excited about is that Australia is at the forefront.'' Researchers also are developing electrically conducting plastics that could stimulate and guide nerve fibers to repair spinal cords. "Cyborgization will give rise to demands for new rights,'' Clark notes, such as using devices to enhance, not just restore, function.

View Full Article