Cybernetic Organism

P. Gopakumar

The cyborgs or cybernetic organism – part human, part machine, is not just a piece of science fiction any longer. Professor of cybernetics at the University of Reading, UK, Kevin Warwick shocked the international scientific community when he became the world’s first cyborgs – in March last year by having a miniature computer surgically implanted into the main nerve canal of his left arm. He has documented this transformation in his latest book “ I Cyborg”. Warwick delivered a lecture at the British council in the Indian capital, New Delhi, last year in which he explained the evolving relationship between man and machine and also he briefly elucidated on his transformation into the world’s first cyborg.

Exciting

This is one of most exciting experiment imaginable. In science, to go where someone has never gone before, despite the dangers, is the ultimate. First of all, he had a microelectrode array connected into his nervous system. With that in place, his nervous system was linked by radio to a computer and thence onto the Internet.

Every successful experiment has certain objectives and benefits to the mankind. One of the main objective of cyborgs is to help people with spinal injuries. We can use this technology to bring back movement and feeling to those with severe damage in their nervous system. Another objective is to look for the possibility of giving an alternative sense to the blind. In the long term, scientists and researchers are looking at upgrading humans. Would not everyone like extra memory, incredible mathematical capabilities and the ability to communicate with each other merely by thought? And only those who are committed to uplift the human beings can undertake these sorts of experiments. Because there are significant dangers with the implant as there are chances of loss of movement and touch, even mental problems. Only brave men can undergo such experiments as it involves a lot of risks. In his lecture, which was televised, he mentioned about the tremendous excitement of being cyborg.

Certainly, he had some apprehensions. He desperately tried to link with his wife Irena, for the world’s first direct nervous system to nervous system communication, when she had electrodes connected onto her median nerve. It was unbelievable for him when it happened. As a cyborg, his nervous system has been connected to the Internet. He went to New York City via net and brain signals where used to operate a robot hand (as though it was his own) in the UK4000 mile long nervous system. It felt very powerful. He could also switch on lights, sound alarms, switch on the heating, all just thinking about it. He was also able to drive a wheelchair around, by means of signals from his nervous system.
One of his most exciting movements was when his extra (ultrasonic) sense worked very successfully. So with blindfold on, he was able to detect objects with his new sixth sense.

It is fantastic that having a sixth sense was no longer science fiction, but in a split second had become a science. With all these expectation are various – in future, cyborgs will be able to drive cars just by thinking about it. He is planning another cybernetic implant after 10-12 years. He is planning implant into his brain. This result will be really exciting. Then one will have the ability to inject current to alter memories and even to record, in a simple way, memories – perhaps even play the dreams. It may make it possible to carry out thought communication.

We should consider the integration of man and machine, a logical step forwarded in the natural evolution of human beings. Machine with intelligence with that of humans will be highly dangerous for humans. By upgrading humans, that is, turning into cyborgs, it will be possible to have machine intelligence working for us rather than against mankind.

It means cyborgs will be able to think in hundreds of dimensions (humans only think in three), sense the world in multitudes of ways (humans only have five senses) and would have superb mathematical and memory abilities. Becoming cyborgs would certainly appear to be the most natural, yet technical, from evolution.

This could be one of the most controversial scientific breakthroughs of our times. Skeptics are comparing this sort of scientific experiments with Frankenstein. According to Kevin Warwick, if god created humans then God also gave us the ability those who are less fortunate, such as the blind and paralysed, with developed technology. God has also allowed us to use exactly the same technology to upgrade our own capabilities. For the sake of humanity, we hope that he is right.

Dual Capacity

Ultimately, what worries folks is the possibility of kooks and rogues hijacking the science. That dual capacity for harm or good, however, exists in most modern breakthroughs. The manner in which we collectively hand that responsibility will prove whether we are worthy of being called humans.

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