Monday, March 1, 2010

Would you like a Bionic body part?


I keep musing about an interesting poll I read at the blog by Mike Brotherton about bionic limbs and would you replace a perfectly healthy limb for a bionic one, or for that matter, if available a bionic eye to improve your vision and give you the ability to measure the distances of objects from where you are positioned. In fact, they are developing a contact lens that will have this very capability. The poll that was set forward was about replacing perfectly healthy limbs for the bionic ones and would you be willing to do such a thing with 50% saying it would depend on the needs of the limb and my needs. Always when the Olympics are happening, I begin to think of sport enhancing drugs and other methods used to improve athletic performance. There seems to be less noise about it during the Winter games and more press coverage about doping during the Summer games and other sports like pro cycling which is set to begin the new season. Even something like a contact lens could give an athlete a great advantage over another especially in the arena of golf such as being able to measure the distance needed to hit the ball and position it correctly on the course.
From an article I found:

If you've ever wanted to be the Bionic Woman or a Terminator, new research may at least let you see with their eyes. Scientists have taken the first step toward creating digital contact lenses that can zoom in on distant objects and display useful facts.For the first time, engineers have installed an electronic circuit and lights on a regular contact lens.The prototype they created does not actually light up or display information. But it proves that it is possible to build an electronic lens that is safe to wear and doesn't obstruct vision."Looking through a completed lens, you would see what the display is generating superimposed on the world outside," said Babak Parviz, an electrical engineer at the University of Washington who worked on the project. "This is a very small step toward that goal, but I think it's extremely promising."

It was difficult for the researchers to graft the tiny electrical circuits, built from layers of metal only a few nanometers thick (for comparison, the width of a typical human hair is about 80,000 nanometers), onto the contact lenses, which are made of organic materials that are safe for the body.

I think it would be disorienting at first to wear such a contact lens, but I imagine I would get used to it, but what would I need such a lens for in my everyday life? I could see such a use for the military or a pilot, or athletes and not much else. HERE is the link.

I have nothing against athletes using performance enhancing technology as long as it does not damage the body in the long run, and if this could enhance our lives in a positive way and be available to everyday people, again I am in favor of such technology.

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