Gizmodo reports on Rob Spence (shown above), who had his prosthetic eye replaced with a video camera. He echoes a prediction I have long been making:
People say no one would ever cut off their arm and replace it. If the technology gets there, which it looks like it will, people will think about it. They might be what you’d call an early adopter -a really early adopter- but people are going to have the option of having superior limbs, superior eyes at some point. So I think a lot of people will do it.
Someday, the ethical and legal controversies over whether bionically enhanced individuals can compete in existing sports leagues may actually make paying attention to sports interesting. We’re going to see interesting John Henry type contests in the future, except instead of competing against a steam hammer, he will be competing against a man with a steam hammer bionic arm.
3 comments
Comments feed for this article
Sunday ~ August 28th, 2011 at 11:34 am
Glenn Cassidy
This is already a legal issue. Oscar Pistorius, running on prosthetic legs, was the subject of a court case in 2008. http://www.slate.com/id/2191801/
Sunday ~ August 28th, 2011 at 7:56 pm
Johnnie Linn
There is nothing new under the sun.
Galatians 6:13:
For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.
Monday ~ August 29th, 2011 at 11:53 am
IVV
It always seemed to me that once body parts could be manufactured that outperformed the ones we have, then it would be clear that they would be adopted, and quickly. Consider Lasik. Or even glasses. If you’re digging ditches, do you hire the guy who claws at the earth with his bare hands? Or the guy with the shovel? Or, later, the guy with the backhoe?
I mean, ask any 10-year-old boy if he wants the cyber revolution.