Body Augmentation, Welcome to the New You
By Nick True
Executive Summary:
We are entering a new world of human body augmentation. Genetic, chemical, and even technological resources can be used to customize the human body. We are rapidly approaching a time in human history where human evolution is not limited or even dictated by the ‘selection of the best adapted’, because we can now change ourselves within our own lives consciously. We are entering an era where humans can make themselves better, faster, and stronger. It is no longer our genetics that determine how well we are physically adapted to the environment, but our conscious decisions and actions.
A Brief History of Body Augmentation:
Humans have already been doing simple body augmentations for centuries, but so far it has mostly been superficial. Simple body modifications include body art such as ceremonial tribal decorations, tattooing, or piercings. Historical body augmentations have been met with a wide range of cultural and societal responses, far too many to list here, and these augmentations have served just as many purposes, ranging from those of deep religious and spiritual significance, to mere rebellions against modern society. They can be a simple as a simple ear piercing to as extreme as the following picture, where whole facial structures are changed.
Current Advances in Body Augmentation:
We are now at the beginning of an era where body augmentation is beginning to have true biological and even psychological impacts. Steroids have been around for a near half century, and have allowed individuals to far exceed natural physical feats. Belgium Blue cattle are a new breed of cow that have a genetic mutation that give them a very dense muscle structure good for beef, this mutation or trait is now being selected by ranchers to create a new breed of ultra-muscled cattle. You may be surprised, but even Lasik eye surgery is a form of body augmentation where the cornea of the eye is modified and reshaped to give better vision. Cochlear implants are being used to allow some deaf patients to hear for the first time. Many students and even adults are giving brain chemistry, and even personality changing drugs to treat conditions such as Bi-polar disorder, and ADHD.
Possible Future Advancement in Body Augmentation:
Now this is where it gets truly exciting; augmentations are in the works that allow humans to push the boundaries of human capability to unseen lengths, people will soon be able to augment their bodies in extreme facets that will change the fundamental way in which the world is interacted with. National labs funded by the Department of Energy have created a third generation ‘artificial retina’ for the blind that allows them to see at extremely low resolutions, proving that artificial retinas can partially restore sight. It is the hopes of this second sight project that in the next decade, sight can be restored to the blind that has resolutions similar to that of a computer screen. There is also much work being done in exoskeletons, a device that is worn outside of the body that allows for augmented and increased strength, or even allow partial paraplegics to have motion again. Defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin have very promising prototypes that have already been field-tested and show great promise, check out the video here. A company in Japan is already renting out their primitive exoskeletons for $2300 a month, and in a bit of savage irony, the company is named Cyberdyne. Video here
Executive Summary
We are facing a new frontier, an era where humans can modify the very way in which their bodies work to achieve goals before thought impossible. As a great idol of mine once said “another glorious dawn awaits”.
Additional Resources
Lockheed Martin exoskeleton video
Cyberdyne exoskeleton and video
Mon, Mar 22, 2010
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