[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":2146},["ShallowReactive",2],{"category-cyborgization":3},{"category":4,"posts":42,"featured":2144,"ebooks":2145},{"id":5,"count":6,"description":7,"link":8,"name":9,"slug":10,"taxonomy":11,"parent":12,"meta":13,"acf":14,"z_taxonomy_image_url":17,"yoast_meta":18,"taxonomy_image":17,"_links":21},506,29,"Certain devices and medical technologies like brain-computer interfaces do not only augment human capabilities, but transform humans partially into technological creations. Through disruptive technology, not only can we repair damaged limbs and organs, but improve them beyond their original capabilities. Exoskeletons let paralyzed people walk faster than others. Brain-computer interfaces let some directly interact with technology in a way never before possible.","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fcategory\u002Fcyborgization\u002F","Cyborgization","cyborgization","category",0,[],{"listing_order":15,"child_category_ids":16},"5",false,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002F080_cyborg-1-1.png",{"yoast_wpseo_title":19,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":20},"Cyborgization - The Medical Futurist","Find the latest cyborgization articles from The Medical Futurist!",{"self":22,"collection":28,"about":31,"wp:post_type":34,"curies":37},[23],{"href":24,"targetHints":25},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories\u002F506",{"allow":26},[27],"GET",[29],{"href":30},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories",[32],{"href":33},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftaxonomies\u002Fcategory",[35],{"href":36},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts?categories=506",[38],{"name":39,"href":40,"templated":41},"wp","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.w.org\u002F{rel}",true,[43,261,407,523,668,821,953,1064,1186,1298,1415,1540,1639,1788,1917,2036],{"id":44,"date":45,"date_gmt":46,"guid":47,"modified":49,"modified_gmt":50,"slug":51,"status":52,"type":53,"link":54,"title":55,"content":57,"excerpt":59,"author":61,"featured_media":62,"comment_status":63,"ping_status":63,"sticky":41,"template":64,"format":65,"meta":66,"categories":67,"tags":70,"project_category":93,"contact_email_category":94,"yst_prominent_words":95,"class_list":114,"better_featured_image":146,"acf":191,"yoast_meta":209,"_links":212},23437,"2026-05-11T10:36:13","2026-05-11T08:36:13",{"rendered":48},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?post_id=23437&_wpnonce=5e1f7e7cd0&status=auto-draft&type=post","2026-05-11T10:36:15","2026-05-11T08:36:15","the-most-pressing-issues-in-bioethics","publish","post","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-most-pressing-issues-in-bioethics",{"rendered":56},"The Most Pressing Issues In Bioethics",{"rendered":58,"protected":16},"\n\u003Cp>Who owns medical and genetic data? How to regulate gene editing? Where is the boundary of enhancing physical or cognitive human capabilities? What to do with biological differences widening the gap of the haves and have-nots? Could we define where the boundary is to augment life? Will we sue robots or algorithms for medical malpractice? With the constant advancement of technology, unprecedented moral, ethical and legal concerns are surfacing. Channeling them into substantial debates will get us closer to their fair solution step by step. Here, we collected the most pressing bioethics issues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Bioethicists\nof the world, unite!\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In 2018, a scientist in China \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nytimes.com\u002F2018\u002F11\u002F26\u002Fhealth\u002Fgene-editing-babies-china.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science&region=stream&module=inline&version=latest&contentPlacement=6&pgtype=sectionfront\">claimed to have edited\u003C\u002Fa> a gene in two human embryos and implanted them in their mother’s womb, resulting in the birth of genetically altered twin girls. The case caused international outrage in scientific circles, and a couple of months later, many \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Fscience\u002F2019\u002Fmar\u002F13\u002Fscientists-call-for-global-moratorium-on-crispr-gene-editing\">scientists called for a global moratorium on gene-editing embryos\u003C\u002Fa>. However, that’s just one story from the ethically challenging situations on the edges of medical scientific innovation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The billionaires of Silicon Valley, as well as other\nprime examples of the “haves”, are pouring money into research of longevity and\naging, which might result in the even more widening gap between the life\nexpectancies of the affluent and the masses. Dr. David\nHimmelstein, the co-founder of the Physicians for a National Health Program and\na lecturer in medicine at Harvard Medical School, told Healthline that the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.healthline.com\u002Fhealth-news\u002Fcan-money-determine-how-long-you-live#2\">gap between the wealthiest and poorest Americans is already\nabout 10 years for women and 15 for men\u003C\u002Fa> – and we could expect an\nexponential increase there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Besides, we haven’t even touched upon bioethical topics around private and sensitive medical data, not to say genetic data. Who’s the owner, the distributor or the user of that data? What is it worth and who uses it for what purposes? Or what about connected medical devices used for healthy people? Could the use of an exoskeleton be allowed in a warehouse to enhance capabilities? What about brain implants or digital tattoos? Where should or might the augmentation of human bodies or cyborgization stop?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>We’re no longer in the realm of science fiction. These issues are real, well and alive. \u003Cstrong>While The Medical Futurist takes an overall optimistic approach to technology and emphasizes its benefits, we have to deal with the dark side – in order to take steps to counter them as soon as possible. Physicians, patients, regulators, and all other stakeholders must prepare for the coming waves of change. To do that, we need to start talking openly about the dangers we face. To spark discourse and urge bioethicists to speak a lot more and a lot louder about the most pressing \u003Cstrong>bioethics\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fstrong> \u003Cstrong>issues and topics,\u003C\u002Fstrong> here’s the ultimate list of the ones we consider the most relevant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>1) Medical and genetic data privacy\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The most important bioethics issue of our times is how to treat data, more specifically how to treat private and sensitive medical and genetic data. How should we secure, share or trade with sensitive data? Should sensitive fitness and medical data be shared with insurance companies? What if you ate red meat and your insurance company immediately raised your insurance rates because you’re not eating healthy enough?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-genomic-data-challenges-of-the-future\">What to do with genetic and genomic\ndata\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong>? If you already purchased a direct-to-consumer\ngenetic test or any other one, what can companies do with your data? Can\nyou delete it or force the companies to make your genetic information\ndisappear? \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong>Could it be allowed for companies, research\nconglomerates or pharma enterprises to purchase or sell such data, and if anyone\ndoes that, how to set the price for it? What is the price for a single person’s\nsequenced genome? Should there be a price?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>These are not far away and remote concerns. For example, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gsk.com\u002Fen-gb\u002Fmedia\u002Fpress-releases\u002Fgsk-and-23andme-sign-agreement-to-leverage-genetic-insights-for-the-development-of-novel-medicines\u002F\">in July 2018, GlaxoSmithKline decided to invest $300 million in 23andMe\u003C\u002Fa> and forge an exclusive drug development deal with the Silicon Valley consumer genetics company to research and develop innovative new medicines and potential cures, using human genetics as the basis for discovery. Ancestry, which maintains a more than \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ancestry.com\u002Fcorporate\u002Fnewsroom\u002Fpress-releases\u002Fancestry-surpasses-5-million-people-dna-database-giving-customers-even-more\">5-million-person\u003C\u002Fa> consumer database of genetic information, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.businessinsider.com\u002Fgoogle-calico-ancestry-dna-genetics-aging-partnership-ended-2018-7\">once partnered with Google’s stealthy life-extension spinoff\u003C\u002Fa> Calico to study aging. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.reuters.com\u002Farticle\u002Fus-health-dna\u002Fcashing-in-on-dna-race-on-to-unlock-value-in-genetic-data-idUSKBN1KO0XC\">Caitlin Curtis, a research fellow at the University of Queensland, estimates\u003C\u002Fa> 23andMe made around $130 million from selling access to about a million genotypes, before the GSK deal, implying an average price of around $130. That means if you purchased 23andMe’s genetic test for $100-150, your genetic information could have been bought for another $130 on average price. The question is whether we are okay with that…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"256\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FBioethics_Helix-512x256.png\" alt=\"bioethics\" class=\"wp-image-23440\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FBioethics_Helix-512x256.png 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FBioethics_Helix-768x384.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FBioethics_Helix-1536x768.png 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FBioethics_Helix.png 2040w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: https:\u002F\u002Fblog.helix.com\u002Fbioethics\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>2\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong>)\n\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong>Cyber\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong> \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong>attacks\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong> against \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong>medical\ndevices\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong>\nand systems\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Do you remember \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-nhs-ransomware-attack-data-privacy-in-digital-health-part-one\">the\nWannaCry scandal\u003C\u002Fa>, the global cyber attack\nthat infected 300,000 computers in 150 countries using hacking tools? It also\ncrippled the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom. UK hospitals\nwere shut down and had to turn away non-emergency patients after ransomware\nransacked its networks. That was the complete and utter failure of the health\nIT infrastructure. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Since that attack, not only hospitals doubled down on cybersecurity, but Microsoft also started to take cybersecurity in healthcare as seriously as never before. The ransomware \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.beckershospitalreview.com\u002Fhealthcare-information-technology\u002F6-updates-on-the-worldwide-ransomware-attack.html\">exploited\u003C\u002Fa> a vulnerability that Microsoft had created a patch for two months earlier, but many organizations — including hospitals — had not appropriately updated their systems before the attack. \u003Cstrong>But is okaying the updates enough? And did huge medical facilities or tech companies dealing with vulnerable data even do the homework ever since?\u003C\u002Fstrong> It doesn’t seem so, although they should! Recently, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ftechcrunch.com\u002F2019\u002F03\u002F17\u002Fmedical-health-data-leak\u002F\">it turned out that California-based Meditab, a health tech company was leaking thousands of doctor’s notes\u003C\u002Fa>, medical records, and prescriptions daily after a security lapse left a fax server without a password.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The situation is not rosy regarding \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-nhs-ransomware-attack-part-ii\">the security of medical devices\u003C\u002Fa> either. In 2011, \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.theregister.co.uk\u002F2011\u002F10\u002F27\u002Ffatal_insulin_pump_attack\u002F\">a researcher from the McAfee tech company demonstrated\u003C\u002Fa> at a conference in Miami how insulin pumps might be hacked to deliver fatal doses to diabetes patients. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ftechcrunch.com\u002F2019\u002F03\u002F22\u002Fmedtronic-defibrillators-critical-flaws\u002F?fbclid=IwAR0IH13HUO1BmCTEuTOmzxXXENKZu3RIoyS_xvaSi9qVKNBmYnACFnr5kP4\">According to the latest news\u003C\u002Fa>, Homeland Security has issued a warning for a set of critical-rated vulnerabilities in Medtronic defibrillators that put the devices at risk of manipulation. \u003Cstrong>The question is – what can we do to protect wearable devices that are connected to our physiological system from being hacked and controlled from a distance? Companies developing such technologies should make sure they are safe and users should be as vigilant as possible when using them.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FCyberattack_Data-breach-512x205.jpg\" alt=\"bioethics\" class=\"wp-image-23442\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FCyberattack_Data-breach-512x205.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FCyberattack_Data-breach-768x307.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FCyberattack_Data-breach-1536x614.jpg 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FCyberattack_Data-breach.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.healthitnews.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>3) What to do\nwith biohackers?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>With the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Frevolution-access-healthcare-diy-labs-makerspaces\">rise of the maker movement\u003C\u002Fa>, the availability of know-how, raw materials, and an active community, the appearance of “garage solutions” in medicine have multiplied. However, they cannot be considered as unambiguously positive or negative\u003C\u002Fstrong>. Some people have been working out long-term solutions for serious medical conditions outside of the traditional „ivory tower of medical knowledge” as they considered regulation to be too slow compared to innovation. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Our favorite example is the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fliving-with-an-artificial-pancreas\u002F\">#wearenotwaiting\nTwitter-movement for patients suffering from diabetes\u003C\u002Fa>. The initiator of the\ncommunity, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fliving-with-an-artificial-pancreas\u002F\">Dana\nLewis\u003C\u002Fa>, and her husband built a so-called artificial pancreas at home and\nstarted to spread the blueprints and know-how on Twitter to other diabetes\npatients – without waiting for the approval of the FDA or any other agency.\nWhy? Because it works and patients needed it. Dana had been using the device\nfor almost two years by the time the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bloomberg.com\u002Fnews\u002Farticles\u002F2016-09-28\u002Fartificial-pancreas-approved-by-fda-is-first-such-device-in-u-s\">US\nFood and Drug Administration finally approved it.\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>On the other hand, \u003Cstrong>experimenting at home with unapproved or not well-tested technologies is dangerous. Does it mean that patients who will be able to scan themselves, 3D print medications at home or even do genetic engineering should also be allowed to do all these? How should we go about biohackers? Where should the line be drawn between supporting innovation and refusing reckless experimentation?\u003C\u002Fstrong> Do you think that it’s just another far-fetched, non-existent gobbledygook? Have you heard about the biohacker who tried to do CRISPR therapy on himself at his own home? Josiah Zayner \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.buzzfeed.com\u002Fstephaniemlee\u002Fthis-biohacker-wants-to-edit-his-own-dna?utm_term=.rsJBR678M#.evELlvD9p\">injected his arm with DNA encoding for CRISPR\u003C\u002Fa> that could theoretically enhance his muscles—in between taking swigs of Scotch at a live-streamed event during an October conference. Now, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theatlantic.com\u002Fscience\u002Farchive\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fbiohacking-stunts-crispr\u002F553511\u002F\">he believes that wasn’t a good idea\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"256\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FDigital-Tattoos-Look-Like-Biohacking-512x256.jpg\" alt=\"bioethics\" class=\"wp-image-23443\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FDigital-Tattoos-Look-Like-Biohacking-512x256.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FDigital-Tattoos-Look-Like-Biohacking-768x384.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FDigital-Tattoos-Look-Like-Biohacking-1536x768.jpg 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FDigital-Tattoos-Look-Like-Biohacking.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.dailydot.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>4) What if\nhealthy people turn\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong>ed\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong> to technology?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As technological innovations in\nthe field of medicine and healthcare multiply day by day, it will be \u003Cstrong>more and more usual to augment our bodies\nwith the help of machines. It makes us faster, stronger or more sensitive to\nthe environment. This means that the boundaries of “human-ness” are stretched.\nHow far can we and should we go?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>At first, we might \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fieet.org\u002Findex.php\u002FIEET2\u002Fmore\u002Fbjmurphy20160228\">experiment with exoskeletons\u003C\u002Fa> that let warehouse workers lift\nheavy boxes or allow doctors to stand through operations for more than 10\nhours. Those are easily removable mechanic extensions, but what about digital\ntattoos or other implants? What if someone wants to have a brain implant which\nlets him experience sensations better? We surely know that could go wrong –\njust think of \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.imdb.com\u002Ftitle\u002Ftt5058700\u002F?ref_=ttep_ep_cur\">the horrible episode of Black Mirror, Black\nMuseum\u003C\u002Fa>. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>However, digital tattoos could also be removed upon request, we assume, but what if people go one step even further in \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-worlds-most-famous-real-life-cyborgs\">cyborgization\u003C\u002Fa> and request irreversible changes in their bodies? What if people start asking their doctors to replace their healthy limbs for robotic ones because it would let them run faster? What if they start asking for indelible brain chips to get smarter? Currently, you can get a new nose or larger breasts, what would prevent you from getting new muscles or brain implants?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"292\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FCyborg-Brain-512x292.jpg\" alt=\"bioethics\" class=\"wp-image-23444\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FCyborg-Brain-512x292.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FCyborg-Brain-768x438.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FCyborg-Brain.jpg 1226w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.transpolitica.org\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>5) Biological differences based on inequalities in wealth\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Both staying healthy and healing\nfrom a condition cost enormous sums of money (well, for the average person, not\nthe Bugatti-buying upper 0.1 percent). Americans are even worse off than other\ndeveloped nations as the US spent 17.8 percent of its GDP on health care in\n2016. Meanwhile, the average spending of 11 high-income countries assessed in a\nreport published in the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fjamanetwork.com\u002Fjournals\u002Fjama\u002Ffullarticle\u002F2674671\">Journal of the\nAmerican Medical Association\u003C\u002Fa> – Canada, Germany, Australia, the U.K, Japan,\nSweden, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Denmark, and the U.S. – was only\n11.5 percent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Moreover, the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fis-crowdfunding-the-grim-future-of-health-insurance\">average\ncost of hospital stays for cancer patients in 2015 was $31,390\u003C\u002Fa>, according\nto U.S. government figures — about half that year’s median household income. In\naddition, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\u002Fpmc\u002Farticles\u002FPMC3273528\u002F\">medical\nexpenses are the leading cause of bankruptcy in the U.S, according to a study\nthat\u003C\u002Fa> indicated about 62 percent of personal bankruptcies in 2007 were\nreportedly due to medical bills, even though most of those people had insurance\n— up from about 46 percent in 2001.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>It is even widely \u003Cstrong>reported that the differences in the financial background of people cause visible biological differences. As mentioned above, the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.healthline.com\u002Fhealth-news\u002Fcan-money-determine-how-long-you-live#2\">gap between the wealthiest and poorest Americans is about 10 years for women and 15 for men\u003C\u002Fa>, so there is a big spread with more affluent people living much longer than the poorer masses. And some are even expecting the widening of the chasm.\u003C\u002Fstrong> With the appearance of direct-to-consumer genetics, (for some) affordable whole-genome sequencing, and later on technologies which can truly augment human capabilities – exoskeletons, implants, digital tattoos, artificial limbs and so on – people with the appropriate means will \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fcan-money-buy-you-longevity-and-health\">live longer and healthier lives\u003C\u002Fa>. \u003Cstrong>How can we mitigate the differences? How can we make innovations more accessible to all kinds of communities? At the same time, how do we prepare society for a time when financial differences lead to biological ones?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"498\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FPeople-walking-on-the-street-512x498.jpg\" alt=\"bioethics\" class=\"wp-image-23445\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FPeople-walking-on-the-street-512x498.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FPeople-walking-on-the-street-768x746.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FPeople-walking-on-the-street.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.nytimes.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>6) \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fwhat-if-we-all-lived-beyond-130-years\">What if we live beyond 130 years\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong>?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theatlantic.com\u002Fmagazine\u002Farchive\u002F2014\u002F10\u002Fwhat-happens-when-we-all-live-to-100\u002F379338\u002F\">Since 1840, life expectancy at birth has\nrisen about three months per year\u003C\u002Fa>. Thus, every year a newborn lives three months longer than those born\nthe previous year. Sweden, which keeps excellent demographic records,\ndocuments female life expectancy at 45 years of age in 1840 and 83 today. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.telegraph.co.uk\u002Fnews\u002Fscience\u002Fscience-news\u002F11562492\u002FMeet-the-doctor-who-is-convinced-he-will-live-to-150.html\">Experts\neven believe that\u003C\u002Fa> with recent breakthroughs in science and medicine coupled\nwith lifestyle changes, this number could reach far beyond 100 years. Tons of\nethical and philosophical questions appear with that possibility. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>What would longevity bring for the individual and for society? Does a longer life also go hand in hand with a physically and cognitively stable older age? Do we even want to live longer if we cannot keep our bodies fit for the task? And what about our societies? How would governments, institutions, communities and even our ideas about life itself cope with the changes? \u003C\u002Fstrong>How could we extend our lifespan beyond 100 years of age if the effects of an aging population already strain our societies? If younger generations cannot sustain the social system to provide care for their elders as they are growing older and older, significant structural changes will be necessary. Are we ready for those?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"257\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Faging-man-512x257.png\" alt=\"augment life\" class=\"wp-image-21309\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Faging-man-512x257.png 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Faging-man-768x385.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Faging-man.png 870w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.longevitynetwork.org\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>7) The horrors of\n\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fdisruptive-technologies-bioterrorism\">bioterrorism\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>The sensitivity of medical and genetic data is mostly due to fears that\nthey could end up in the wrong hands – and for the time being, nothing can be\ndone to counter a potential attack\u003C\u002Fstrong>. Although wrongdoers have to possess\nvery sophisticated skills, so the risks are very low, but there are \u003Cstrong>some experts who worry that precision\nbioterrorism could appear alongside precision medicine and targeted treatments.\nThat would mean that according to genetic markers or any other biological\nmarkers, attackers could choose a target\npopulation and tailor their biological attack according to their genetic\nmake-up or medical data. As you cannot change your genome as you do with your passwords or credit cards,\nanyone can be completely defenseless against such an attack\u003C\u002Fstrong>. Some \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fleapsmag.com\u002Fbad-actors-getting-your-health-data-is-the-fbis-latest-worry\u002F\">FBI\nagents reported\u003C\u002Fa> they worry about healthcare data generated for precision\nmedicine leaving the US vulnerable to such scenarios.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Alongside with that, hacking of medical devices, complete infrastructures, and systems, manipulation of implants, digital tattoos or robots might leave us utterly assailable. As in the far future, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fwhy-people-should-not-fear-digital-health\u002F\">robots on the nanoscale could live in our bloodstream\u003C\u002Fa> or on our eyeballs, some people are also afraid that by using such tiny devices, total surveillance would become feasible – since nothing can remain hidden when there is a robot swimming through your bodily fluids. Let’s do everything in our power to counter these risks and come up with defensive measures as soon as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F05\u002Fclose-up-of-male-scientist-hand-inoculating-an-agar-plates-with-bacteria-in-microbiology-lab-512x384.jpg\" alt=\"microbiome testing\" class=\"wp-image-17777\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F05\u002Fclose-up-of-male-scientist-hand-inoculating-an-agar-plates-with-bacteria-in-microbiology-lab-512x384.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F05\u002Fclose-up-of-male-scientist-hand-inoculating-an-agar-plates-with-bacteria-in-microbiology-lab-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F05\u002Fclose-up-of-male-scientist-hand-inoculating-an-agar-plates-with-bacteria-in-microbiology-lab-334x250.jpg 334w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F05\u002Fclose-up-of-male-scientist-hand-inoculating-an-agar-plates-with-bacteria-in-microbiology-lab.jpg 870w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.genomemag.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>8) \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-future-of-sex-and-sexuality\">Sexuality becoming technological\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cstrong>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Long-distance kisses, hugs, and\ncaresses. Virtual reality porn stars. Sex robots threatening the world’s oldest\nprofession. Technosexuals living with life-sized dolls. At the dawn of a new\nsexual revolution, it’s time to face where technology may take the most intimate\narea of our lives, where will that take humanity, where are our boundaries and\nwhether we want any of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>According to the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ffutureofsex.net\u002FFuture_of_Sex_Report.pdf\">Future of Sex report\nwritten by Jenna Owsianik and Ross Dawson\u003C\u002Fa>, haptic body suits or social\nnetworking sites enhanced with sensual touch interfaces might soon enable fully\nphysical long-distance sex between lovers or hook-up partners thousands of\nkilometers away. Not to mention the possibility of intimate video chats combining\nremote sex devices and holographic partners. \u003Cstrong>The authors even estimate that by 2028, that means in ten years (!),\nover a quarter of young people will have had a long-distance sexual experience.\nBy 2025, 3D-printed body parts could add more realism to the over-the-line sex\ngame. \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The other line of innovation includes robots resembling human sex partners. \u003Cstrong>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fgraphics.bondara.com\u002FFuture_sex_report.pdf\">Some futurists even speculated\u003C\u002Fa> that by 2050, human-robot sex will be more common than human-human sex. But can you imagine having sex with a remote program or a robot? And what if something goes wrong? Do you see such, right now seemingly impossible future news headlines as “Woman Sues Robotics Company for Breaking Her Leg During Sex With Robot”?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"288\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fsex-robot-512x288.jpg\" alt=\"Future of Sex\" class=\"wp-image-17357\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fsex-robot-512x288.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fsex-robot-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fsex-robot-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fsex-robot-445x250.jpg 445w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fsex-robot.jpg 770w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.zdnet.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Takeaways on Bioethics Issues\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>These questions and bioethics issues cannot be answered by 90-minute-long keynotes and a Q&A session afterward. All kinds of stakeholders need to be brought together by bioethicists to see a vivid palette of opinions, after which, the potential ethical, moral or even legal rules can be set up concerning each of the issues in bioethics. That doesn’t mean only formal discussions – let’s discuss these bioethical topics at home, at the workplace, and on public forums. This way, we can prepare to exploit the advantages technology offers, while keeping the potential dangers at bay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>And we shall never forget: “Primum non nocere”!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"10px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>At The Medical Futurist, we are building a community for making a bold vision about the future of healthcare reality today.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FFIbMejImnxs\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003Cp>If you’d like to support this mission, we invite you to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">join The Medical Futurist Patreon Community\u003C\u002Fa>. A community of empowered patients, future-oriented healthcare professionals, concerned health policymakers, sensible health tech developers, and enthusiastic medical students. If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our research and sustains our future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">\u003Cstrong style=\"background-color: #e71d3299; color: #000;\">Click here to support The Medical Futurist from as little as $3\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa> – it only takes a minute. Thank you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Ftbody>\n\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"rendered":60,"protected":16},"\u003Cp>Who owns medical and genetic data? How to regulate gene editing? Where is the boundary of enhancing physical or cognitive human capabilities? What to do with biological differences widening the gap of the haves and have-nots? Could we define where is the boundary to augment life? Will we sue robots or algorithms for medical malpractice? With the constant advancement of technology, unprecedented moral, ethical and legal issues are surfacing. Channeling them into substantial debates will get us closer to their fair solution step by step. Here, we collected the 10 most pressing issues in bioethics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",6,23447,"closed","","standard",{"_acf_changed":16,"footnotes":64},[68,5,69],511,488,[71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90,91,92],260,904,262,924,289,959,304,996,425,997,1101,1104,194,1284,196,830,1285,212,831,1286,246,833,[],[],[96,97,98,99,100,101,102,103,104,105,106,107,108,109,110,111,112,113],4501,1631,4503,1693,4505,1723,4507,1883,4511,1969,4513,1975,4515,2933,4489,4497,4499,1583,[115,53,116,117,118,119,120,121,122,123,124,125,126,127,128,129,130,131,132,133,134,135,136,137,138,139,140,141,142,143,144,145],"post-23437","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bioethics","category-cyborgization","category-genomics","tag-genetics","tag-gene-editing","tag-genomics","tag-longevity","tag-innovation","tag-legal","tag-medical","tag-bioethics","tag-technology-2","tag-bioethical","tag-genomic","tag-genetic","tag-cyborg","tag-moral","tag-data-2","tag-sex","tag-debate","tag-dna","tag-sexuality","tag-medical-data","tag-future","tag-cyborgization",{"id":62,"alt_text":147,"caption":148,"description":64,"media_type":149,"media_details":150,"post":44,"source_url":190},"bioethics","Source: www.youtube.com","image",{"width":151,"height":152,"file":153,"sizes":154,"image_meta":187},1280,720,"2019\u002F03\u002FFuture-Of-Humanity.jpg",{"medium":155,"large":161,"thumbnail":166,"medium_large":170,"large_old_512x288":171,"thumbnail_old_150x150":176,"medium_old_370x208":178,"medium_large_old_768x432":181,"large_old_512x288_old_512x288":184},{"file":156,"width":157,"height":158,"mime-type":159,"source_url":160},"Future-Of-Humanity-370x208.jpg",370,208,"image\u002Fjpeg","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FFuture-Of-Humanity-370x208.jpg",{"file":162,"width":163,"height":164,"mime-type":159,"source_url":165},"Future-Of-Humanity-768x432.jpg",768,432,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FFuture-Of-Humanity-768x432.jpg",{"file":167,"width":168,"height":168,"mime-type":159,"source_url":169},"Future-Of-Humanity-150x150.jpg",150,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FFuture-Of-Humanity-150x150.jpg",{"file":162,"width":163,"height":164,"mime-type":159,"source_url":165},{"file":172,"width":173,"height":174,"mime-type":159,"source_url":175},"Future-Of-Humanity-512x288.jpg",512,288,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FFuture-Of-Humanity-512x288.jpg",{"file":167,"width":177,"height":177,"mime-type":159,"source_url":169},"150",{"file":156,"width":179,"height":180,"mime-type":159,"source_url":160},"370","208",{"file":162,"width":182,"height":183,"mime-type":159,"source_url":165},"768","432",{"file":172,"width":185,"height":186,"mime-type":159,"source_url":175},"512","288",{"aperture":188,"credit":64,"camera":64,"caption":64,"created_timestamp":188,"copyright":64,"focal_length":188,"iso":188,"shutter_speed":188,"title":64,"orientation":188,"keywords":189},"0",[],"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FFuture-Of-Humanity.jpg",{"related_posts":192,"related_posts_footer":196,"cta_type":64,"cta_color":64,"subtitle":64,"related_books":16,"key_takeaways":200},[193,194,195],13373,13990,21303,[197,198,199],22549,20686,17353,[201,203,205,207],{"title":202},"\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Bioethics examines the ethical, social, and legal dilemmas\u003C\u002Fstrong> that emerge in the fields of biomedicine and biomedical research.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"title":204},"\u003Cp>Key bioethical issues include genetic engineering, particularly CRISPR, raising concerns about designer babies and genetic inequality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"title":206},"\u003Cp>Data privacy and security are critical as health data becomes increasingly digitized, posing risks to patient confidentiality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"title":208},"\u003Cp>AI in healthcare presents ethical dilemmas regarding decision-making, bias, and the potential dehumanization of patient care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"yoast_wpseo_title":210,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":211,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":54},"Top 8 Issues in Bioethics in 2024 - The Medical Futurist","Top Issues & Topics in Bioethics 1) The most important bioethical topic is medical data privacy 2) Bioethical issues of increasing life expectancy 3)",{"self":213,"collection":218,"about":221,"author":224,"replies":227,"version-history":230,"predecessor-version":234,"wp:featuredmedia":238,"wp:attachment":241,"wp:term":244,"curies":259},[214],{"href":215,"targetHints":216},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F23437",{"allow":217},[27],[219],{"href":220},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts",[222],{"href":223},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftypes\u002Fpost",[225],{"embeddable":41,"href":226},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fusers\u002F6",[228],{"embeddable":41,"href":229},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=23437",[231],{"count":232,"href":233},16,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F23437\u002Frevisions",[235],{"id":236,"href":237},60731,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F23437\u002Frevisions\u002F60731",[239],{"embeddable":41,"href":240},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F23447",[242],{"href":243},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=23437",[245,247,250,253,256],{"taxonomy":11,"embeddable":41,"href":246},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=23437",{"taxonomy":248,"embeddable":41,"href":249},"post_tag","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=23437",{"taxonomy":251,"embeddable":41,"href":252},"project_category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=23437",{"taxonomy":254,"embeddable":41,"href":255},"contact_email_category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=23437",{"taxonomy":257,"embeddable":41,"href":258},"yst_prominent_words","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=23437",[260],{"name":39,"href":40,"templated":41},{"id":262,"date":263,"date_gmt":264,"guid":265,"modified":267,"modified_gmt":268,"slug":269,"status":52,"type":53,"link":270,"title":271,"content":273,"excerpt":275,"author":61,"featured_media":277,"comment_status":63,"ping_status":63,"sticky":41,"template":64,"format":65,"meta":278,"categories":279,"tags":283,"project_category":293,"contact_email_category":295,"yst_prominent_words":296,"class_list":305,"better_featured_image":321,"acf":347,"yoast_meta":362,"_links":365},43409,"2026-01-20T15:46:04","2026-01-20T14:46:04",{"rendered":266},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?post_id=43409&_wpnonce=ef79d0c80c&status=auto-draft&type=post","2026-01-20T15:46:09","2026-01-20T14:46:09","ten-super-creepy-technologies-in-medicine","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Ften-super-creepy-technologies-in-medicine",{"rendered":272},"The Top 10 Super-Creepy Medical Technologies",{"rendered":274,"protected":16},"\n\u003Cp>We are all for new technologies here, spending our days researching where the science of medicine goes. With that said, every now and then, we see something so creepy that it freaks out even the seasoned team of The Medical Futurist. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>So here we collected ten examples of either super creepy medical technologies or ingeniously evil uses of perfectly innocent technologies. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The blood-drawing robots\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>First, this \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fwould-you-let-a-robot-take-your-blood-sample\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">doesn’t really sound creepy\u003C\u002Fa>. Drawing blood might not be our favourite thing, but nothing of a terror for most of us either. Vein scanners have been around for a while, actually being a useful little tool to make sure you find good veins with sufficient blood flow. Robots are around hospitals, and the pandemic accelerated their deployment.\u003Cbr>However, when you \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cnet.com\u002Fscience\u002Fthis-robot-is-excellent-at-drawing-human-blood\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">put this all together\u003C\u002Fa>, and the thing looks like this…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Need to draw blood? A robot in China can help you\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FezZXXX39hX0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Even we have to admit, this is flat-out creepy. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Virtually reuniting with our deceased loved ones\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>You probably have heard about this Korean project in which a young mother was able to meet with her deceased daughter in virtual reality. This video is heartbreaking and very disturbing at the same time, raising a number of ethical and emotional questions. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Of course, as many have pointed out, this mother has chosen to participate in this venture; she was not forced to do that. And however upsetting it is, one Korean commenter of the video helped everyone to understand the context of Hyeon-mong – a final farewell. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Virtual reality "reunites" mother with dead daughter in South Korean doc\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002F0p8HZVCZSkc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“This means a special dream. After a person dies, the soul stands trial (…) and after the trial, [the] dead one can appear in the dream of a living family. When people lose a precious person, [they believe that with dreaming about the loved one] that precious one would have gone to heaven through that dream.  But there is one contradiction in the Korean traditional religion. The soul of a child under 10 is not to be tried. Because a child’s soul is immediately led to “Western sky-flower garden” (…) So the mother who lost her child can not dream and say goodbye. This project was carried out to reduce such grief.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Good morning, time to wake up with electroshock!\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Are you a morning kind of person? Good for you! Are you having difficulties with the mornings? Is the Snooze button your best friend? Do you have regular troubles with sleeping in? We have good news for you! \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>For only a moderate amount of money, you can buy your own electroshocking watch that will make sure you get out of bed faster than ever before. And like any good Pavlovian dog, it promises to train your brain in no time. As far as I understand, the method is pretty straightforward. You do what your watch tells you to do (jumping jacks, 5 seconds after waking up, anyone?), or you get shocked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Shock Clock 2 - The World's Smartest Alarm Clock\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002Fjqju6X2hgVw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The marketing material is not short of grand promises, but frankly, I just don’t get it. Unless you have narcolepsy or a similar problem, you either wanna get up in time, so you don’t lose your job, for example, or you don’t care. If you care, you just get up. If you don’t care, why would you put on that freaking shocking watch in the first place? \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The microchip implanted under your skin\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Frfid-implant-chip\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Human RFID implants have actually been around for a while\u003C\u002Fa>, and you can use them for a number of things. (We mean, you can choose to use them FROM a number of things, but are not yet able to do all of these at once). So with a rice-sized implant in your hand, you can open your car, your door, you can just use your hand for contactless payment in the shop, or store your vaccination pass there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Should You Get An RFID Implant? \u002F Episode 2 - The Medical Futurist\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FGs0bVs8QuWE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Robot nanny for growing babies in artificial wombs\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“Scientists in China have created a robotic artificial intelligence system to monitor and care for human embryos growing in artificial wombs. The AI robot is being developed as a potential solution to population growth problems in the world’s most populous country, with birth rates recently falling to their lowest level in six decades.” – \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.independent.co.uk\u002Ftech\u002Frobot-nanny-china-population-b2004342.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">you can read in the Independent\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"329\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F05\u002Fartificial-womb-1-768x329.jpg\" alt=\"artificial womb\" class=\"wp-image-44509\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F05\u002Fartificial-womb-1-768x329.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F05\u002Fartificial-womb-1.jpg 1482w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>According to the paper, the system allows the foetus to grow more safely and efficiently than it does within the natural setting of a woman’s womb. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Seriously, what is wrong with these people?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Falling in love with an A.I. girlfriend\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Here is a story of a man \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fnews.sky.com\u002Fstory\u002Fi-fell-in-love-with-my-ai-girlfriend-and-it-saved-my-marriage-12548082?fbclid=IwAR2NfbHTMhq5X83E5uxHGoBhhPcLn5ZsBBM4GEdioXjLldHDlsrN1pxcJGg\" target=\"_blank\">who claims to be falling in love with his A.I. chatbot girlfriend\u003C\u002Fa>. He even says that the newfound love actually saved his existing marriage. Please, don’t misunderstand me, I fully believe that life must have been extremely difficult with a severely depressed wife with heavy drinking problems.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"403\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F04\u002FReplica-always-here-to-listen-cover-768x403.png\" alt=\"AI girlfriend artificial intelligence chatbot companion\" class=\"wp-image-43427\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F04\u002FReplica-always-here-to-listen-cover-768x403.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F04\u002FReplica-always-here-to-listen-cover.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>But still, there is something very uncanny about reading about a two-day-old virtual relationship blossoming into love, especially, witnessing the depth of the conversation Sarina, the A.I. girlfriend, is able to provide. While psychologists agree that non-judgemental acceptance is the best way to open up fully and present ourselves with our weaknesses, hundreds of thousands of people reporting the use of the app’s \u003Cem>romantic \u003C\u002Fem>setting to form ‘personal’ relationships is worrying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Designer babies and toying with CRISPR technology\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>A Chinese scientist shocked the scientific community in 2018 with the announcement that he tried to bestow two baby girls the ability to resist possible future infections with HIV. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Gene editing technologies grant scientists the power to add, alter or remove parts of any creature’s DNA. Well, unicorns or dragons may be out of the question, but mosquitos’ or even Christmas trees’ tiniest building blocks may be the subject of such scientific meddling. While numerous approaches emerged to gene editing, one of the most well-known is CRISPR. It is the fastest, cheapest and most efficient method developed so far. You can \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fdesigner-babies-a-dystopian-sidetrack-of-gene-editing\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">read about the topic in detail here\u003C\u002Fa>. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FGenes-and-crimes-768x432.jpg\" alt=\"behavioral genetics\" class=\"wp-image-23297\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FGenes-and-crimes-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FGenes-and-crimes-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FGenes-and-crimes-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FGenes-and-crimes-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FGenes-and-crimes-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>While gene editing and \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fcrispr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CRISPR technology\u003C\u002Fa> hold great promises, the ethical implications are paramount. In opening Pandora’s box (it is clear humanity is doing that), what horrors are we inviting upon us? Are we placing babies in the hands of future parents as toys in the arms of Gods? What happens if the more affluent layers of society edit their genes into long and healthy lives while the poorer groups stand in line for medication? Will gene technologies give a new direction to inequality? What if governments with authoritarian inclinations start using it for shaping society?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Advertising is infiltrating our dreams\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Last year, in a discreet building in downtown Los Angeles, 18 subjects were instructed to watch a strange video featuring a synth-laden soundtrack and natural imagery interspersed with glimpses of Coors Light beer cans. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fthehustle.co\u002Fare-advertisers-going-to-infiltrate-our-dreams\u002F?fbclid=IwAR0S2JezIevhiXli7KzTBxLmC4ZBZseHf0knd8d3OruRS0q83jKOn_5FH0Y\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Coors’ stated goal was science-fiction worthy\u003C\u002Fa>: the company wanted to “shape and compel [the] subconscious” into dreaming about beer. Shockingly, it seemed to work. Around 30% of the participants reported that Coors products made an appearance in their dreams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"383\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F04\u002Finfiltrating-dreams-1-768x383.jpg\" alt=\"Advertizers infiltrating dreams\" class=\"wp-image-43431\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F04\u002Finfiltrating-dreams-1-768x383.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F04\u002Finfiltrating-dreams-1.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Are advertisers going to infiltrate our dreams? It’s a simple question to answer. If we decide to use technologies while sleeping, they will, and I’ve already seen prototypes of wearable devices that are meant to induce better quality sleep. How unnerving is the thought of even our dreams being robbed from us and becoming a marketing channel? Please, companies, stay out of our heads!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">News about your terminal illness arriving on wheels and on a screen\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Ernest Quintana, 78, an inpatient of a California medical centre was living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for years. Although his family knew that he would die soon, they were not prepared to see\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fedition.cnn.com\u002F2019\u002F03\u002F10\u002Fhealth\u002Fpatient-dies-robot-doctor\u002Findex.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a machine rolling into his room\u003C\u002Fa> and a doctor, appearing via live video, explaining that according to the latest results of the medical tests, there is nothing they can do, and he is not even sure if Ernest will be able to make it home to receive hospice care. The on-screen doctor was accompanied by an in-person nurse, standing silently during the interlude – his granddaughter, who witnessed the scene, explained. The man died the following day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"582\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F05\u002FScreen-Shot-01-20-26-at-03.43-PM-1-768x582.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-60185\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F05\u002FScreen-Shot-01-20-26-at-03.43-PM-1-768x582.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F05\u002FScreen-Shot-01-20-26-at-03.43-PM-1.png 1531w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The use of this kind of technology for a small hospital is logical: it allows them to have additional specialists available 24\u002F7, bringing further consultative expertise to the bedside. But a situation like this should never have happened to anyone, every medical technology must remain humane in the first place, and questions of efficiency must only follow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Finding your X-ray on sale for 2 thousand pounds as an NFT  – created by your doctor without your consent\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>A senior surgeon at a Paris hospital put the image of a woman’s forearm with a Kalashnikov bullet lodged near the bone up for sale online as an NFT without the patient’s knowledge. And not only did he offer the NFT for a little over 2 thousand pounds, but he also published many details about the injury, making it possible to identify the victim, a survivor of the 2015 Bataclan massacre.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Consequences followed the case, the doctor faced legal actions, the hospital apologised, and the media \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.com\u002Fnews\u002Fworld-europe-60124931?fbclid=IwAR1eAPuDE5Mhx8fhmyGKlIL7Ple2nTdAWxZ20haM3ngTfcQuDRA_nklbnNY\">chewed on the story\u003C\u002Fa> for a while. This is a grand example of how the most innocent of technologies – an X-ray image and hyped NFT tokens – can turn into something shockingly immoral in the hands of someone without ethical standards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"rendered":276,"protected":16},"\u003Cp>Every now and then we see something that freaks out even the seasoned team of The Medical Futurist. From robot nannies taking care of human babies grown in artificial wombs to waking up with an electric shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",43429,{"_acf_changed":16,"footnotes":64},[280,68,5,173,281,282],7079,515,799,[284,285,286,72,287,288,289,290,291,292],674,134,215,407,445,1499,7563,555,645,[294],951,[],[297,298,299,300,301,101,302,303,304],3357,4469,5085,1593,1719,1851,2017,2613,[306,53,116,117,118,119,120,307,121,122,308,309,310,311,312,313,125,314,315,316,317,318,319,320],"post-43409","category-tmf","category-robotics","category-science-fiction","category-security-privacy","tag-artificial-womb","tag-ai","tag-dream","tag-smartwatch","tag-virtual-reality","tag-medical-robot","tag-creepy-technologies","tag-blood-draw","tag-sleep-tracking","project_category-patients",{"id":277,"alt_text":322,"caption":64,"description":323,"media_type":149,"media_details":324,"post":262,"source_url":346},"creepy blood drawing robot","blood drawing robot",{"width":325,"height":326,"file":327,"sizes":328,"image_meta":345},1920,1080,"2022\u002F04\u002Fcreepiest.png",{"medium":329,"large":333,"thumbnail":336,"medium_large":339,"1536x1536":340},{"file":330,"width":179,"height":180,"mime-type":331,"source_url":332},"creepiest-370x208.png","image\u002Fpng","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F04\u002Fcreepiest-370x208.png",{"file":334,"width":182,"height":183,"mime-type":331,"source_url":335},"creepiest-768x432.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F04\u002Fcreepiest-768x432.png",{"file":337,"width":177,"height":177,"mime-type":331,"source_url":338},"creepiest-150x150.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F04\u002Fcreepiest-150x150.png",{"file":334,"width":182,"height":183,"mime-type":331,"source_url":335},{"file":341,"width":342,"height":343,"mime-type":331,"source_url":344},"creepiest-1536x864.png","1536","864","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F04\u002Fcreepiest-1536x864.png",{"aperture":188,"credit":64,"camera":64,"caption":64,"created_timestamp":188,"copyright":64,"focal_length":188,"iso":188,"shutter_speed":188,"title":64,"orientation":188},"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F04\u002Fcreepiest.png",{"cta_type":348,"cta_color":64,"subtitle":64,"related_books":349,"related_posts_footer":353,"related_posts":16,"key_takeaways":357},"subscribe",[350,351,352],24762,24763,24759,[354,355,356],11923,21023,17240,[358,360],{"title":359},"\u003Cp>Some health technologies are simply too much to handle, or even outright weird.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"title":361},"\u003Cp>Here we collected ten examples of either super creepy medical technologies or ingeniously evil uses of perfectly innocent technologies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"yoast_wpseo_title":363,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":364,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":270},"The Top 10 Super-Creepy Medical Technologies - The Medical Futurist","We are not an easy team to shock, but every now and then we see something so creepy, that it freaks out even the seasoned team of The Medical Futurist. ",{"self":366,"collection":371,"about":373,"author":375,"replies":377,"version-history":380,"predecessor-version":384,"wp:featuredmedia":388,"wp:attachment":391,"wp:term":394,"curies":405},[367],{"href":368,"targetHints":369},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F43409",{"allow":370},[27],[372],{"href":220},[374],{"href":223},[376],{"embeddable":41,"href":226},[378],{"embeddable":41,"href":379},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=43409",[381],{"count":382,"href":383},23,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F43409\u002Frevisions",[385],{"id":386,"href":387},60195,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F43409\u002Frevisions\u002F60195",[389],{"embeddable":41,"href":390},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F43429",[392],{"href":393},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=43409",[395,397,399,401,403],{"taxonomy":11,"embeddable":41,"href":396},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=43409",{"taxonomy":248,"embeddable":41,"href":398},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=43409",{"taxonomy":251,"embeddable":41,"href":400},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=43409",{"taxonomy":254,"embeddable":41,"href":402},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=43409",{"taxonomy":257,"embeddable":41,"href":404},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=43409",[406],{"name":39,"href":40,"templated":41},{"id":408,"date":409,"date_gmt":410,"guid":411,"modified":413,"modified_gmt":414,"slug":415,"status":52,"type":53,"link":416,"title":417,"content":419,"excerpt":421,"author":232,"featured_media":423,"comment_status":63,"ping_status":63,"sticky":41,"template":64,"format":65,"meta":424,"categories":425,"tags":427,"project_category":428,"contact_email_category":429,"yst_prominent_words":430,"class_list":438,"better_featured_image":441,"acf":471,"yoast_meta":478,"_links":480},58957,"2025-08-18T10:05:51","2025-08-18T08:05:51",{"rendered":412},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?post_id=58957&_wpnonce=f906fc75b7&status=auto-draft&type=post","2025-08-18T10:05:52","2025-08-18T08:05:52","brain-computer-interfaces-in-healthcare-current-promise-and-future-potentials","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fbrain-computer-interfaces-in-healthcare-current-promise-and-future-potentials",{"rendered":418},"Brain-Computer Interfaces In Healthcare: Current Promise And Future Potentials",{"rendered":420,"protected":16},"\n\u003Cp>Controlling a computer or your phone with your mind might sound like \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-future-of-our-brains-health-in-black-mirror\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a science fiction prospect\u003C\u002Fa>, or even a supernatural one. However, the technology to make “mind control” a reality – not unlike using the force in the Star Wars franchise – already exists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>This is what brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) allow. By capturing brainwaves and signals from neurons, BCIs can translate them into an action, such as a scroll on a screen. These devices have been under development for decades and have received renewed attention with recent developments and new companies investing in this field. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In this article, we provide an overview of BCIs, their current state and future potential, and the challenges that lie ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>What are BCIs and how do they work?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In simple terms, BCIs are \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\u002Farticles\u002FPMC3497935\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">devices that translate brain signals\u003C\u002Fa> into commands to control external devices. They don’t “read the mind”, but interpret neuronal signals that are usually associated with movement intention. For example, if you want to attempt to move your arm, your brain will produce corresponding signals. BCIs can capture these signals and relay them to an external device, such as an \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-state-of-exoskeletons-in-healthcare\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">exoskeleton\u003C\u002Fa>, to perform the desired action. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>For decades, the Utah array \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.wired.com\u002Fstory\u002Fparadromics-neuralink-rival-tested-brain-implant\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">was the centrepiece\u003C\u002Fa> of BCI research. It is a tiny implant that features 100 electrodes that has enabled cursor movement, robotic arm controls and speech production among people with paralysis. However, it is a highly invasive device, involves a bulky setup and can degrade over time, making it unoptimised for extended use.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In recent years, a new generation of BCI-focused companies or so-called \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.wsj.com\u002Ftech\u002Fbrain-implant-musk-als-tbi-neuralink-f733998f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">“neurotech” startups\u003C\u002Fa> has been attempting to reshape the landscape with options that are less bulky, last longer and capture more signals with more electrodes. Among them, the most popular might be the Elon Musk-backed \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fneuralink.com\u002F\">Neuralink\u003C\u002Fa>. Its BCI is a coin-sized device that is implanted after removing a piece of the skull and includes over 1,000 electrodes. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.paradromics.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Paradromics\u003C\u002Fa>’ Connexus is a similar BCI with 420 electrodes and uses biocompatible materials to last a user’s lifetime. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"560\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F08\u002Fparadromics-bci-768x560.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-58959\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F08\u002Fparadromics-bci-768x560.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F08\u002Fparadromics-bci.png 1367w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The BCI module from Pradromics. \u003Cbr>Source; www.paradromics.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsynchron.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Synchron\u003C\u002Fa>’s 16-electrode Stentrode adopts a less invasive approach by being inserted via the jugular vein. It is linked to a device under the wearer’s collarbone that analyses the brain signals. These are communicated to an external receiver that resides on the wearer’s chest. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In early 2025, researchers at Georgia Tech shared \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fresearch.gatech.edu\u002Fnew-wearable-brain-computer-interface\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a new BCI approach\u003C\u002Fa>. It involves micro-brain sensors placed between hair strands, which can capture high-fidelity signals while making unintrusive, continuous use of BCIs possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The different techniques of these devices show promise for the field of BCIs and their potential in healthcare, as we contemplate in the next section.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Mind power: the current potentials of BCIs in healthcare\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The development of BCIs has traditionally had a healthcare focus. They have mostly resided within the realm of research, with a particular outlook to restore motion and external controls for people with impaired mobility, paralysis or conditions like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), where the patient gradually loses muscle control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>BCIs using the traditional Utah array have enabled patients to use them for several years. Nathan Copeland, who became paralysed from the chest down after a car accident, has had his implant for \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.wired.com\u002Fstory\u002Fthis-man-set-the-record-for-wearing-a-brain-computer-interface\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">over ten years\u003C\u002Fa>, setting the world record. This \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.npr.org\u002Fsections\u002Fshots-health-news\u002F2025\u002F06\u002F30\u002Fnx-s1-5339708\u002Fbrain-computer-interface-implants-disabilities-neuralink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">enabled him\u003C\u002Fa> to control a computer and even fist-bump  President Barack Obama. However, such BCIs \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.wired.com\u002Fstory\u002Fthis-man-set-the-record-for-wearing-a-brain-computer-interface\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">have lasted up to 10 years\u003C\u002Fa> in tests with monkeys and can cause adverse reactions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The new wave of BCI companies aims to be safer, and several of them have received clearance from regulatory authorities for implanting their devices in patients. As of June 2025, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fneuralink.com\u002Fupdates\u002Fneuralink-raises-650m-series-e\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Neuralink reported\u003C\u002Fa> that “five individuals with severe paralysis are now using Neuralink to control digital and physical devices with their thoughts”. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Synchron’s trials \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\u002Farticles\u002FPMC9857731\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">showed no severe adverse effects\u003C\u002Fa> among patients with paralysis after 12 months. More recently, Synchron \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.fiercebiotech.com\u002Fmedtech\u002Fsynchron-links-brain-computer-interface-ipad-through-new-apple-protocol\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">has been able to connect\u003C\u002Fa> a patient’s BCI with the Apple Vision Pro and an iPad, increasing their autonomy and access to entertainment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Control an iPad With Your Mind? Breakthrough Demo Using Apple’s BCI HID\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FYK8r5vdpozA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Paradromics has \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.prnewswire.com\u002Fnews-releases\u002Fparadromics-announces-principal-investigators-for-the-connexus-brain-computer-interface-clinical-study-302398246.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">received regulatory approval\u003C\u002Fa> to conduct its Connexus BCI Clinical Study in late 2025. This will assess the clinical benefits of its BCI among patients with speech impairment due to progressive neuromuscular diseases or neural injuries with severe paralysis in all four limbs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>There are other, less hyped companies that \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.clinicaltrialsarena.com\u002Fnews\u002Fthree-companies-to-rival-neuralink-in-the-bci-clinical-trial-landscape\u002F?cf-view\" target=\"_blank\">have quietly progressed\u003C\u002Fa> further in their clinical assessment journey. US-based \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.braingate.org\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">BrainGate\u003C\u002Fa> shared the findings of \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nejm.org\u002Fdoi\u002Ffull\u002F10.1056\u002FNEJMoa2314132\" target=\"_blank\">a successful case study\u003C\u002Fa> in 2024. In it, a patient with ALS received their BCI implant, which was able to translate brain signals into speech with up to 97% accuracy. France-based \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ffonds-clinatec.fr\u002Fen\u002Fprojects-partner-projects-we-support\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Clinatec\u003C\u002Fa>’s Wimagine BCI enabled a tetraplegic patient to control a four-limb exoskeleton back in 2019. In 2023, their technology \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nature.com\u002Farticles\u002Fs41586-023-06094-5\" target=\"_blank\">restored communication\u003C\u002Fa> between the brain and spinal cord, enabling a paraplegic patient to walk again in a natural way. They have also completed \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.medicaldevice-network.com\u002Fnews\u002Fonwards-brain-computer-interface-tech-joins-fdas-new-tap-programme\u002F?cf-view\" target=\"_blank\">other feasibility studies\u003C\u002Fa> to restore upper and lower limb movement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Food for (BCI) thought: future potentials and regulatory hurdles \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The momentum in the BCI space indicates a promising future, especially for those with impaired mobility. With increased clinical trials and partnerships, with \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ffinance.yahoo.com\u002Fnews\u002Finside-a-400-billion-bet-on-the-brain-computer-interface-revolution-150057794.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tech giants in the fold\u003C\u002Fa>, the potentials \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fsuperhumans\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">expand beyond mobility\u003C\u002Fa> to monitoring epilepsy or ADHD to pain management and sleep assessment. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Within the tech industry, some even see BCIs as \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ftheconversation.com\u002Ftranshumanism-billionaires-want-to-use-tech-to-enhance-our-abilities-the-outcomes-could-change-what-it-means-to-be-human-220549\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a means to achieve transhumanist ideals\u003C\u002Fa>, with the ability to augment human functions even if you don’t have any underlying conditions. Synchron’s CEO, Tom Oxley, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.pcmag.com\u002Farticles\u002Fsynchron-neuralink-competitor-brain-computer-interface-hq-tour\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">even expects\u003C\u002Fa> that by the 2040s, anyone with $40,000-$50,000 to spend can get a Stentrode.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F08\u002Fsynchron-bci-768x431.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-58963\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F08\u002Fsynchron-bci-768x431.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F08\u002Fsynchron-bci-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F08\u002Fsynchron-bci-1536x862.png 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F08\u002Fsynchron-bci.png 1582w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Synchron’s Stentrode BCI in a model brain. \u003Cbr>Source: www.pcmag.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>However, these devices are currently limited to research purposes, and so far, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.wsj.com\u002Ftech\u002Fbrain-implant-musk-als-tbi-neuralink-f733998f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fewer than 100 people\u003C\u002Fa> have permanent BCI implants. These devices are under intense scrutiny by authorities, especially considering the risks involved in brain surgery. For example, in the case of Neuralink, up to a dozen monkeys involved in trials \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ffuturism.com\u002Fneoscope\u002Fterrible-things-monkeys-neuralink-implants\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">suffered from complications\u003C\u002Fa>, including brain swelling and partial paralysis. Every company developing an advanced technology must meet evidence-based guidelines, even if certain neurotech companies are treating BCIs as the latest tech product.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>While neural interfaces sound like technologies from the future, gaining interest from tech enthusiasts and journalists, current invasive and surgery-dependent solutions won’t lead to widespread use. After all, if most patients cannot even download their own medical records, why would they want to get surgery to open their car with their mind?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>This is why the success of BCI will inevitably demand more than just technological innovation. It will require a cultural transformation where all stakeholders collaborate to ensure an evidence-backed, ethical adoption of such technologies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>Written by Dr. Bertalan Meskó & Dr. Pranavsingh Dhunnoo\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"rendered":422,"protected":16},"\u003Cp>Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) showcase the power of thought, enabling brain signals to be converted to actions, with the potential to restore mobility and communication among those otherwise unable to do so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",58965,{"_acf_changed":16,"footnotes":64},[280,5,426,281],521,[],[],[],[431,432,433,434,435,436,437,97],1721,2541,4295,5573,5577,1595,1613,[439,53,116,117,118,119,120,307,122,440,309],"post-58957","category-future-medicine",{"id":423,"alt_text":64,"caption":442,"description":64,"media_type":149,"media_details":443,"post":408,"source_url":470},"Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs)",{"width":444,"height":445,"file":446,"filesize":447,"sizes":448,"image_meta":468},1600,900,"2025\u002F08\u002Ftmf_article_446-1.png",839346,{"medium":449,"large":453,"thumbnail":457,"medium_large":461,"1536x1536":462},{"file":450,"width":157,"height":158,"mime-type":331,"filesize":451,"source_url":452},"tmf_article_446-1-370x208.png",47935,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F08\u002Ftmf_article_446-1-370x208.png",{"file":454,"width":163,"height":164,"mime-type":331,"filesize":455,"source_url":456},"tmf_article_446-1-768x432.png",147949,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F08\u002Ftmf_article_446-1-768x432.png",{"file":458,"width":168,"height":168,"mime-type":331,"filesize":459,"source_url":460},"tmf_article_446-1-150x150.png",20219,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F08\u002Ftmf_article_446-1-150x150.png",{"file":454,"width":163,"height":164,"mime-type":331,"filesize":455,"source_url":456},{"file":463,"width":464,"height":465,"mime-type":331,"filesize":466,"source_url":467},"tmf_article_446-1-1536x864.png",1536,864,490433,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F08\u002Ftmf_article_446-1-1536x864.png",{"aperture":188,"credit":64,"camera":64,"caption":64,"created_timestamp":188,"copyright":64,"focal_length":188,"iso":188,"shutter_speed":188,"title":64,"orientation":188,"keywords":469},[],"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F08\u002Ftmf_article_446-1.png",{"subtitle":64,"key_takeaways":472,"cta_type":64,"cta_color":64,"related_books":16,"related_posts_footer":16,"related_posts":16},[473,474,476],{"title":422},{"title":475},"\u003Cp>In recent years, a new generation of neurotech companies has been investing in BCIs to make them more efficient, with an eye to widespread adoption.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"title":477},"\u003Cp>This article contemplates the current state of BCIs and their future potential in a highly regulated area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"yoast_wpseo_title":479,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":64,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":416},"Brain-Computer Interfaces In Healthcare: Current Promise And Future Potentials - The Medical Futurist",{"self":481,"collection":486,"about":488,"author":490,"replies":493,"version-history":496,"predecessor-version":500,"wp:featuredmedia":504,"wp:attachment":507,"wp:term":510,"curies":521},[482],{"href":483,"targetHints":484},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F58957",{"allow":485},[27],[487],{"href":220},[489],{"href":223},[491],{"embeddable":41,"href":492},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fusers\u002F16",[494],{"embeddable":41,"href":495},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=58957",[497],{"count":498,"href":499},4,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F58957\u002Frevisions",[501],{"id":502,"href":503},59015,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F58957\u002Frevisions\u002F59015",[505],{"embeddable":41,"href":506},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F58965",[508],{"href":509},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=58957",[511,513,515,517,519],{"taxonomy":11,"embeddable":41,"href":512},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=58957",{"taxonomy":248,"embeddable":41,"href":514},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=58957",{"taxonomy":251,"embeddable":41,"href":516},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=58957",{"taxonomy":254,"embeddable":41,"href":518},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=58957",{"taxonomy":257,"embeddable":41,"href":520},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=58957",[522],{"name":39,"href":40,"templated":41},{"id":524,"date":525,"date_gmt":526,"guid":527,"modified":529,"modified_gmt":530,"slug":531,"status":52,"type":53,"link":532,"title":533,"content":535,"excerpt":537,"author":61,"featured_media":539,"comment_status":63,"ping_status":63,"sticky":41,"template":64,"format":65,"meta":540,"categories":541,"tags":543,"project_category":556,"contact_email_category":560,"yst_prominent_words":561,"class_list":567,"better_featured_image":585,"acf":610,"yoast_meta":623,"_links":626},16513,"2025-06-21T12:40:21","2025-06-21T10:40:21",{"rendered":528},"http:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?p=16513","2025-06-21T12:40:22","2025-06-21T10:40:22","future-of-vision-and-eye-care","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Ffuture-of-vision-and-eye-care",{"rendered":534},"The Future Of Vision And Eye Care",{"rendered":536,"protected":16},"\n\u003Cp>3D printed digital contact lenses, bionic eye implants, augmented reality: the future of vision and eye care is full of science fiction-sounding innovations. Here is where digital health will take ophthalmology in the future!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>More than 80 percent of perception comes through vision\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Researchers estimate that 80-85 percent of our perception, learning, cognition, and activities are mediated through vision. Compared to that, our hearing only processes 11 percent of information, while smell 3.5 percent, touch 1.5 percent and taste 1 percent. Don’t you think that’s possible? Renowned scholars, \u003Ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.amazon.com\u002FSee-What-Im-Saying-Extraordinary\u002Fdp\u002F0393067602\" target=\"_blank\">L.D. Rosenblum\u003C\u002Fa>, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbooks.google.hu\u002Fbooks?id=u347r70CKYAC&pg=PR19&lpg=PR19&dq=Stolovitch+Keeps+vision&source=bl&ots=GUVTZ4hs9e&sig=xDjvt4DIQYDEzTyliKteS3nngX0&hl=hu&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjXsIe89ovXAhWKZVAKHV1ACI0Q6AEIXTAI#v=onepage&q=Stolovitch%20Keeps%20vision&f=false\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Harold Stolovitch and Erica Keeps\u003C\u002Fa> explained these numbers with the following, rather convincing story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Imagine you are in an open field, the sun shines on you, with the bees humming softly in the air. How far can you see and hear? When it comes to vision, it’s around 50 miles, talking about hearing, it’s only 1-2 miles at best! What about the smell of the flowers? Without the wind blowing, only 10-20 metres. How about touching or tasting? Well, it depends on your arm’s length, but obviously not further than that. And the same goes for your tongue and tasting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>It is almost a cliché to emphasise the importance of the eyes and vision, but it’s a luminous example to illustrate how the eyes are our most important sensory organ. Hence, if you catch an eye disease or have to face a serious eye condition, you feel very motivated to get better immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\">\n\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fvision-eye.jpg\" alt=\"Future of Vision\" class=\"wp-image-16516\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fvision-eye.jpg 640w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fvision-eye-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fvision-eye-512x288.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fvision-eye-444x250.jpg 444w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Eye conditions affect way too many people worldwide\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.iapb.org\u002Flearn\u002Fvision-atlas\u002Fmagnitude-and-projections\u002Fglobal\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">latest figures\u003C\u002Fa> from the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness estimate that 43 million people are blind, and 295 million people suffer from moderate or severe distance vision impairment. Globally 1.1 billion people were living with vision loss in 2020, and it is forecasted to reach 1.7 billion without serious interventions and investments by 2050. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"413\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002FVision-loss-1990-2050-768x413.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-44343\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002FVision-loss-1990-2050-768x413.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002FVision-loss-1990-2050-1536x826.jpg 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002FVision-loss-1990-2050.jpg 1608w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Data source: the Vision Loss Expert Group\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Some of the necessary investments and improvements will arrive from the digital health field, progress in technology, for example in surgical techniques and  treating eye infections.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Yet, digital health still has a lot to do for lessening plenty of suffering which comes from not being able to see the world clearly. In the last couple of years, it actually started to undertake the task to transform the field of ophthalmology, offering its innovative solutions for the broadest spectrum of eye conditions. Treating less serious ailments gets faster, more targeted and more efficient, while the means for curing more serious and life-altering illnesses improve. Here, I outlined the way technology delineates the future of eye care and vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Most pioneers did not do great in the long term\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Disruptive technologies gave a huge boost to the creative minds of ophthalmology. Types of conditions causing blindness, such as AMD or retinitis pigmentosa, an inherited eye condition causing loss of sight gradually and causing blindness for an estimated 1.5 million people worldwide, have been treated successfully with mind-blowing innovations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The California-based firm, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.secondsight.com\u002Fmission-en.html\" target=\"_blank\">Second Sight\u003C\u002Fa>, the German company, Retina Implant AG, and the French venture, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.pixium-vision.com\u002Fen\" target=\"_blank\">Pixium Vision\u003C\u002Fa> were the forerunners of the field, developing implantable visual prosthetics to restore vision to patients who are blind as a result of the rare condition of retinitis pigmentosa. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In 2016, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Fsociety\u002F2016\u002Fjan\u002F05\u002Fwoman-bionic-eye-joy-reading-clock-rhian-lewis\" target=\"_blank\">The Guardian reported\u003C\u002Fa> that a blind woman suffering from this disease was fitted with the implant labelled “bionic eye” in the UK as part of a trial at the Oxford Eye Hospital. She spoke of her joy after being able to tell the time for the first time in more than six years. That must have been truly amazing!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fbionic-eye.jpg\" alt=\"Future of Vision\" class=\"wp-image-16517\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fbionic-eye.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fbionic-eye-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fbionic-eye-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fbionic-eye-512x288.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fbionic-eye-444x250.jpg 444w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In 2015, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.com\u002Fnews\u002Fhealth-33571412\" target=\"_blank\">surgeons in Manchester, UK have performed the first bionic eye implant\u003C\u002Fa> for an AMD patient using Second Sight’s innovation. The 80-year-old Ray Flynn lost his central vision entirely, but with the help of the retinal implant, he could make out shapes on the computer screen. Researchers say that the implant cannot provide any highly detailed vision – but it can help patients detect distinct patterns such as door frames and shapes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>However, things are moving fast, and success doesn’t come easy for the pioneers of any medical field. In the past few years, Retina Implant AG \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bioregio-stern.de\u002Fen\u002Fnews\u002Fretina-implant-ag-discontinues-business-activities\" target=\"_blank\">decided to shut down\u003C\u002Fa> its business activities, while \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fspectrum.ieee.org\u002Fbionic-eye-obsolete\" target=\"_blank\">Second Sight has stopped offering support for its Argus I and II retinal implant systems\u003C\u002Fa>, leaving 350+ blind people around the world with Second Sight’s implants in their eyes in complete uncertainty, and a vast number of potential medical complications should anything go wrong with their implants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Developing bionic eyes with fractal-patterned electrodes for reversing blindness\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>We have seen fascinating developments as well. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>University of Oregon researchers have grown rodent retinal neurons on a fractal-patterned electrode, a form mimicking the repeating branching pattern in which neurons naturally grow, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.futurity.org\u002Fbionic-eye-fractal-neurons-2723572\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cu>Futurity reported\u003C\u002Fu>\u003C\u002Fa>. It’s a step closer to making a bio-inspired bionic eye. The team, led by physicist Richard Taylor, hope their electrodes can someday be implanted in human eyes to restore lost vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The paper, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fjournals.plos.org\u002Fplosone\u002Farticle?id=10.1371\u002Fjournal.pone.0265685#pone-0265685-g002\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cu>recently published in PLOS\u003C\u002Fu>\u003C\u002Fa>, summarises three years of data. The new work provides experimental evidence supporting a hunch the team has been pursuing for years, that neurons, which themselves are fractals, will connect better to a fractal-patterned electrode than they do to more traditionally shaped electrodes, allowing better signal transmission between the implant and the brain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>To successfully send signals to the brain or the eye, an implanted electrode needs to be able to connect to a network of existing neurons. Neurons naturally grow in a tree-like fractal pattern, leading to ever-finer branches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Taylor thought why not coax the neurons to connect to an electrode in a pattern that fits their tendency? Then, they tracked how mouse retinal neurons grew on the chips, using cells cultured in a petri dish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Neurons attached more prevalently to the textured fractal branches than to the smooth gaps between the branches, the experiment showed. And glia, important support cells for neurons, are packed tightly into the smooth gaps. The fractal design was the most effective at this ‘herding’ of neurons and glia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The work is still early-stage, Taylor emphasises. Running trials in animals will take additional engineering and safety tests. But eventually, the researchers hope their design will turn into a real-world device that can help people with vision loss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Brain implants and artificial retina instead of bionic eyes?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Instead of “bionic eyes” that stimulate brain cells with lights coming from a tiny video camera or stimulate the visual cortex directly through electrodes, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.sciencealert.com\u002Fscientists-have-created-an-artificial-retina-implant-that-could-restore-vision-to-millions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the Italian Institute of Technology has developed a new approach\u003C\u002Fa> for treating retinal degeneration, with a prosthesis implanted into the eye that serves as a working replacement for a damaged retina – basically an artificial retina. Their research showed promising results for lab rats, and they plan to carry out the first human trials in the second half of 2017 and gather preliminary results during 2018.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"621\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fartificial-retina.jpg\" alt=\"future of vision\" class=\"wp-image-16518\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fartificial-retina.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fartificial-retina-768x548.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fartificial-retina-512x365.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fartificial-retina-350x250.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmed.stanford.edu\u002Fartificial-retina\u002Fresearch.html\" target=\"_blank\">Stanford Artificial Retina Project\u003C\u002Fa> shows great promises. The project’s main focus is on ganglion cells, the output neurons of the retina, which largely survive the retinal degeneration process. Ganglion cells generate visual representations of light inputs and transmit these encoded representations toward specific target areas in the brain. By first learning how patterns of activity in many ganglion cells represent a visual scene, they can mimic the neural retinal code using their artificial implant. If they accurately reproduce the retinal code, the brain can accurately perceive the visual image.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The unique feature of the Stanford research is that instead of using large electrodes – employed in other projects -, the team proposes using 10 μm variant electrodes that can excite a small number of cells in the epiretinal region of the eye. The aim is not to “confuse” the brain’s signals with activating cell clusters in aggregate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) researchers have taken a distinctly divergent path from the previous research candidates and \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nature.com\u002Farticles\u002Fs41586-020-2285-x\" target=\"_blank\">generated an artificial bionic eye composed of analogous elements to a real eye\u003C\u002Fa>. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The journal \u003Cem>Nature\u003C\u002Fem> provided a commentary report on HKUST’s research into the bionic eye. The study indicated that \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nature.com\u002Farticles\u002Fd41586-020-01420-7\" target=\"_blank\">this eye has a comparable photoreceptor sensitivity response to the human eye\u003C\u002Fa>. This sensitivity is principally due to the novel use of perovskite materials, which have favourable properties in the next generation of optoelectronic signals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>The miraculous CRISPR and other gene therapies for regaining vision\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>CRISPR-Cas9 or as used in plain language, CRISPR, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fcrispr\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">the breakthrough gene-editing method, \u003C\u002Fa>has already shown its potential future use in eye care. Experts even say the eye is an ideal place to start for the first clinical use of CRISPR. Compared to other parts of the body, the eye is easy to access for surgery, readily accepts new tissue and can be noninvasively monitored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Scientists at Columbia University Medical Center and the University of Iowa \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.forbes.com\u002Fsites\u002Femilymullin\u002F2016\u002F01\u002F29\u002Fcrispr-used-to-repair-blindness-causing-gene-defect\u002F#7fdf2715f46a\" target=\"_blank\">used CRISPR to repair a genetic mutation responsible for retinitis pigmentosa\u003C\u002Fa> in induced pluripotent stem cells derived from a patient with the disease. The team reported a 13 percent success rate at converting the mutated gene variant into the normal one, which is way \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.nature.com\u002Fnbt\u002Fjournal\u002Fv33\u002Fn5\u002Ffull\u002Fnbt.3198.html\" target=\"_blank\">better than previous studies\u003C\u002Fa>. In February 2017, experts at the Center for Genome Engineering, within the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.sciencedaily.com\u002Freleases\u002F2017\u002F02\u002F170216133252.htm\" target=\"_blank\">reported the use of CRISPR in performing “gene surgery” in the layer of tissue that supports the retina of living mice\u003C\u002Fa>. After the intervention, the mice showed signs of improvement from AMD. It is a ground-breaking experiment suggesting that CRISPR can not only be used to correct mutations causing hereditary diseases but also in the case of non-hereditary degenerative diseases.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Beyond CRISPR, other gene therapies also have a great chance to become a common treatment method for specific eye conditions in the future. In early October 2017, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fedition.cnn.com\u002F2017\u002F10\u002F12\u002Fhealth\u002Ffda-gene-therapy-blindness-vote\u002Findex.html\" target=\"_blank\">the FDA’s advisory panel approved a gene therapy called Luxturna\u003C\u002Fa>, which targets a rare condition called Leber congenital amaurosis. Thus, the treatment method got one step closer to full FDA approval. The agency will make its final decision by next January. If the verdict is positive, this gene therapy will be the first approved treatment in the US to correct an inherited genetic trait – but it might be followed very soon by much more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>And \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.npr.org\u002Fsections\u002Fhealth-shots\u002F2021\u002F09\u002F29\u002F1040879179\u002Fvision-loss-crispr-treatment?t=1651830489871\" target=\"_blank\">the latest CRISPR breakthrough\u003C\u002Fa> is also connected to Leber congenital amaurosis. The team of Dr. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ohsu.edu\u002Fpeople\u002Fmark-pennesi-md-phd\">Mark Pennesi,\u003C\u002Fa> professor of ophthalmology at the Casey Eye Institute at the Oregon Health & Science University carried out a project in which they injected CRISPR directly into cells that are still in patients’ bodies. This was the first time researchers worked with CRISPR this way. Earlier experiments had removed cells from patients’ bodies, edited them in the lab and then infused the modified cells back into the patients.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fcrispr.jpg\" alt=\"Future of Vision\" class=\"wp-image-16519\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fcrispr.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-512x288.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-445x250.jpg 445w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Eye care patients will also become the point of care\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>With the advancement of smartphones and other smart gadgets at lightning speed, it is only a matter of time before portable devices will appear on a large scale in ophthalmology as well. The tiny, well-designed and connected instruments and the accompanying apps make it possible to undertake eye examinations anywhere in the world – making patients the point of care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>For example, Peek Retina is the flagship product of \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.peekvision.org\u002Fabout-us\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Peek Vision\u003C\u002Fa>, a UK-based company and foundation, a portable ophthalmoscope that enables you to view and capture retinal images on your smartphone wherever you are. The venture also offers smartphone-based vision eye tests, e.g. for measuring visual acuity. It greatly helps physicians in remote areas such as Sub-Saharan Africa diagnose and treat patients.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The MIT-spinout company, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Feyenetra.com\u002F\">EyeNetra\u003C\u002Fa> developed a diagnostic device for signalling refractive errors fast and accurately. The device, called Netra, is a plastic, binocular-like headset to be used with an app which calculates the difference between what the user indicates as “aligned” and the actual alignment of various patterns. This signals any refractive errors, such as near-sightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. The app then displays the refractive powers, the axis of astigmatism, and the pupillary distance required for eyeglasses prescriptions. EyeNetra will make school or workplace eye examinations in the future a lot easier than today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone wp-image-16520 size-full is-style-default\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fpeek-vision.jpg\" alt=\"Future of Vision\" class=\"wp-image-16520\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fpeek-vision.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fpeek-vision-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fpeek-vision-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fpeek-vision-512x288.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fpeek-vision-444x250.jpg 444w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo credit: Rolex\u002FJoan Bardeletti\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The Newark-based \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.eyeque.com\u002Fblog\u002Fwhy-eyeque-the-technology-behind-the-products\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">EyeQue has an MIT patented technology\u003C\u002Fa> based on instruments and charts used in vision testing for years. They offer two products enabling low-cost and accessible eye tests for everyone. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.eyeque.com\u002Fpvt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Personal Vision Tracker\u003C\u002Fa> measures an individual’s refractive status, including near-or-farsightedness and astigmatism, while the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.eyeque.com\u002Finsight\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">EyeQue Insight\u003C\u002Fa> determines visual acuity or the sharpness of vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Are 3D printed and digital contact lenses the future?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Digital contact lenses sound like science fiction: the translucent layer on your eye transmitting special information about your body to an outside device. Yet, it might be a reality soon. For example, Google teamed up with Novartis \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F2016\u002F04\u002F07\u002Fgoogles-amazing-digital-contact-lens-can-transform-diabetes-care\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">to produce digital, multi-sensor contact lenses\u003C\u002Fa> which are designed to be able to measure blood sugar levels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Google and Novartis said the lens would contain a tiny and ultra slim microchip that would be embedded in one of its thin concave sides. Through its equally tiny antenna, it would send data about the glucose measurements from the user’s tears to his or her paired smartphone via installed software. Originally, the companies promised to put the digital contact lens on the market around 2020. However, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.fiercebiotech.com\u002Fr-d\u002Fnovartis-chairman-google-smart-lens-a-high-risk-project\" target=\"_blank\">in March 2017 Novartis Chairman Joerg Reinhardt talked down the chances of the project\u003C\u002Fa> bringing visible results in the next couple of years. I truly hope this is just a temporary setback.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.newsweek.com\u002Fscientists-3d-print-contact-lens-built-led-287905\" target=\"_blank\">researchers at the University of Washington have created a contact lens with an LED display built into it\u003C\u002Fa> – with the help of a 3D printer! While it is really difficult to manufacture a contact lens, which is one-third of a millimetre in diameter, a 3D printer sandwiches together different layers of interacting material, which makes it easier to match tiny pieces. While it was only an experiment, the research has important implications to improve the display technology of small devices. Maybe Google will 3D print the next generation of digital contact lenses, who knows?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"440\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F04\u002Fdigital-contact-lenses.png\" alt=\"Digital Contact Lenses - Overhyped Technologies\" class=\"wp-image-13628\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F04\u002Fdigital-contact-lenses.png 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F04\u002Fdigital-contact-lenses-768x388.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F04\u002Fdigital-contact-lenses-512x259.png 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F04\u002Fdigital-contact-lenses-458x231.png 458w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Healing the eye faster \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Innovation in regenerative medicine is flourishing: dentistry, dermatology, and ophthalmology. A few specialties which can take pride in healing injured or diseased body parts faster and in a more efficient way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>For example, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aao.org\u002Fnewsroom\u002Fnews-releases\u002Fdetail\u002Fregenerative-medicine-speeds-healing-of-eye-tissue\" target=\"_blank\">researchers in Turkey developed a regenerative medicine that can heal the front of the eye in as little as two days after surgery\u003C\u002Fa>. The drug called Cacicol stimulates faster tissue repair, and appears to relieve eye pain, burning, and light sensitivity following an invasive intervention. Scientists treated patients suffering from a rare disease called keratoconus who went through a surgery known as corneal cross-linking with Cacicol. The drug helped decrease the initial healing from 5 days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Artificial Intelligence for detecting eye conditions in time \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Image recognition algorithms have the capacity to transform diagnostics based on medical imaging. In 2016, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.technologyreview.com\u002Fs\u002F602958\u002Fan-ai-ophthalmologist-shows-how-machine-learning-may-transform-medicine\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Google developed an eye-scanning technique for looking at retinal images and detecting diabetic retinopathy\u003C\u002Fa> as well as a trained ophthalmologist. The disease is quite common among diabetes patients, and if it is not spotted early enough, it may cause blindness. The machine-learning algorithm uses Google’s method for labelling millions of Web images as it examines photos of a patient’s retina to spot tiny aneurysms indicating the early stages of diabetic retinopathy. A year later, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.wired.com\u002F2017\u002F06\u002Fgoogles-ai-eye-doctor-gets-ready-go-work-india\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">the search giant announced they have begun working on integrating the technology into a chain of eye hospitals in India\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"393\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fgoogle-diabetic-retinopathy.png\" alt=\"Future of Vision\" class=\"wp-image-16521\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fgoogle-diabetic-retinopathy.png 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fgoogle-diabetic-retinopathy-768x347.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fgoogle-diabetic-retinopathy-512x231.png 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Fgoogle-diabetic-retinopathy-458x207.png 458w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Google is not the only one working on A.I. solutions for eye care, though. A teenage girl from India, whose grandfather in India was diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.sciencealert.com\u002Fthis-teenage-girl-invented-a-brilliant-ai-based-app-that-can-quickly-diagnose-eye-disease\" target=\"_blank\">developed a smartphone app that can screen for the disease\u003C\u002Fa> with the help of a specially trained artificial intelligence program and a simple 3D-printed lens attachment. A truly disruptive innovation: smart, cheap and potentially life-changing!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>A fresh study, published in April 2022 in the Lancet found that a deep-learning algorithm was able to detect vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy with an accuracy of 94.7%, sensitivity of 91.4% and specificity of 95.4%. This was compared to the retina specialist over-readers who performed with an accuracy of 93.5%, a sensitivity of 84.8% and a specificity of 95.5%.  \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Eye conditions through augmented reality\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Patient education is key in prevention and it also gives the best chance for physicians to arrive at the most accurate diagnosis based on their patients’ explanation of their symptoms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The use of \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.imedicalapps.com\u002F2013\u002F07\u002Fmedical-app-augmented-reality-patient-education\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Orca Health’s EyeDecide\u003C\u002Fa> could bring exactly this result. The innovative, Utah-based mobile software company’s medical app uses an augmented reality camera display for simulating the impact of specific conditions on a person’s vision. EyeDecide can fully demonstrate the consequences of cataract or AMD and thus help patients understand their actual medical state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Feyedecide.jpg\" alt=\"Future of Vision\" class=\"wp-image-16522\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Feyedecide.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Feyedecide-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Feyedecide-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Feyedecide-512x288.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002Feyedecide-444x250.jpg 444w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Cyborgization is upon us?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I’m hopeful that eye conditions, visual impairment, and blindness will be entirely treatable in the future, even if that would mean a replacing the eye with a bionic device or replacing the natural process of vision with a brain-computer interface. I believe the biggest ethical challenge of eye implants or devices replacing visual functions could be that they might facilitate cyborgization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>What if healthy people would like to live as \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-worlds-most-famous-real-life-cyborgs\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Neil Harbisson\u003C\u002Fa>? As someone whose vision is extended through an external technology? What if the average user will ask for bionic eyes as it does not get tired, you can zoom with it, browse and search online, even take photos that no one else could see?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Neil Harbisson is actually an artist born with achromatopsia or extreme colorblindness meaning he could only see in black-and-white. Harbisson received a specialised electronic eye, his “eyeborg” to be able to render perceived colours as sounds on the musical scale. He is capable of experiencing colours beyond the scope of normal human perception: \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Fartanddesign\u002F2014\u002Fmay\u002F06\u002Fneil-harbisson-worlds-first-cyborg-artist\" target=\"_blank\">Amy Winehouse is red and pink, while ringtones are green\u003C\u002Fa>. In his view, cyborgization might start with a third eye on the back of the head or an implanted sensor indicating whether there is a car behind you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"544\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fa-color-blind-artist-neil-harbisson-wears-an-antenna-that-allows-him-to-“hear”-color-through-vibrations-in-his-skull.jpg\" alt=\"Neil Harbisson - Top Cyborgs\" class=\"wp-image-15869\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fa-color-blind-artist-neil-harbisson-wears-an-antenna-that-allows-him-to-“hear”-color-through-vibrations-in-his-skull.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fa-color-blind-artist-neil-harbisson-wears-an-antenna-that-allows-him-to-“hear”-color-through-vibrations-in-his-skull-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fa-color-blind-artist-neil-harbisson-wears-an-antenna-that-allows-him-to-“hear”-color-through-vibrations-in-his-skull-512x320.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fa-color-blind-artist-neil-harbisson-wears-an-antenna-that-allows-him-to-“hear”-color-through-vibrations-in-his-skull-400x250.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>If you are entirely freaked out by now, I have to tell you, we are rather far from implanting third eyes into people. However, we have to start to contemplate about the possibilities of such scenarios as we will arrive at the boundaries of privacy, ethics – and the ultimate merging of the human body with technology. We have to be ready for that!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Learn more about the technological future of medical specialties from \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fleanpub.com\u002Ffuture-of-medical-specialties\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">our latest e-book\u003C\u002Fa>!\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F05\u002F2022_tech_giants_ebook-cover-768x432.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43839\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F05\u002F2022_tech_giants_ebook-cover-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F05\u002F2022_tech_giants_ebook-cover-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F05\u002F2022_tech_giants_ebook-cover-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F05\u002F2022_tech_giants_ebook-cover-2048x1152.png 2048w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F05\u002F2022_tech_giants_ebook-cover.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{"rendered":538,"protected":16},"\u003Cp>From bionic eyes to artificial retinas, CRISPR to deep learning algorithms, this is a buzzing field of research with revolutionary promises, potentially affecting the lives of a billion people. \u003C\u002Fp>\n",44481,{"_acf_changed":16,"footnotes":64},[542,5],493,[544,545,75,546,547,285,79,548,549,550,551,552,553,91,554,555],271,275,130,355,145,447,203,206,207,752,753,269,[557,558,294,559],948,950,953,[],[562,97,563,564,565,566],1617,4403,4837,4847,4891,[568,53,116,117,118,119,120,569,122,570,571,128,572,573,312,132,574,575,576,577,578,579,144,580,581,582,583,320,584],"post-16513","category-augmented-reality","tag-health","tag-healthcare","tag-3d-printing-2","tag-personalized-medicine","tag-augmented-reality-2","tag-vision","tag-diabetes","tag-digital","tag-digital-health","tag-eye-care","tag-ophthalmology","tag-guide","project_category-developers","project_category-medical-professionals","project_category-researchers",{"id":539,"alt_text":64,"caption":64,"description":586,"media_type":149,"media_details":587,"post":524,"source_url":609},"eye vision sight TMF retinopathy blindness",{"width":325,"height":326,"file":588,"sizes":589,"image_meta":608},"2017\u002F10\u002FThe-future-of-vision-TMF.png",{"medium":590,"large":593,"thumbnail":596,"medium_large":599,"1536x1536":600,"2048x2048":603},{"file":591,"width":179,"height":180,"mime-type":331,"source_url":592},"The-future-of-vision-TMF-370x208.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002FThe-future-of-vision-TMF-370x208.png",{"file":594,"width":182,"height":183,"mime-type":331,"source_url":595},"The-future-of-vision-TMF-768x432.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002FThe-future-of-vision-TMF-768x432.png",{"file":597,"width":177,"height":177,"mime-type":331,"source_url":598},"The-future-of-vision-TMF-150x150.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002FThe-future-of-vision-TMF-150x150.png",{"file":594,"width":182,"height":183,"mime-type":331,"source_url":595},{"file":601,"width":342,"height":343,"mime-type":331,"source_url":602},"The-future-of-vision-TMF-1536x864.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002FThe-future-of-vision-TMF-1536x864.png",{"file":604,"width":605,"height":606,"mime-type":331,"source_url":607},"The-future-of-vision-TMF-2048x1152.png","2048","1152","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002FThe-future-of-vision-TMF-2048x1152.png",{"aperture":188,"credit":64,"camera":64,"caption":64,"created_timestamp":188,"copyright":64,"focal_length":188,"iso":188,"shutter_speed":188,"title":64,"orientation":188},"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F10\u002FThe-future-of-vision-TMF.png",{"related_posts":16,"related_posts_footer":611,"cta_type":348,"cta_color":64,"subtitle":64,"related_books":615,"key_takeaways":618},[612,613,614],17653,16762,13095,[616,350,617],24761,37033,[619,621],{"title":620},"\u003Cp>Eye care is an important field for the use of advanced technologies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"title":622},"\u003Cp>From 3D printing, to apps and even CRISPR genome editing, there are many examples that help better see how eye care can take advantage of the technological revolution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"yoast_wpseo_title":624,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":625,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":532},"The Future Of Vision And Eye Care - The Medical Futurist","The future of vision and eye care are full of science fiction-sounding innovations. The Medical Futurist shows the best technologies changing ophthalmology.",{"self":627,"collection":632,"about":634,"author":636,"replies":638,"version-history":641,"predecessor-version":645,"wp:featuredmedia":649,"wp:attachment":652,"wp:term":655,"curies":666},[628],{"href":629,"targetHints":630},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F16513",{"allow":631},[27],[633],{"href":220},[635],{"href":223},[637],{"embeddable":41,"href":226},[639],{"embeddable":41,"href":640},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=16513",[642],{"count":643,"href":644},43,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F16513\u002Frevisions",[646],{"id":647,"href":648},58877,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F16513\u002Frevisions\u002F58877",[650],{"embeddable":41,"href":651},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F44481",[653],{"href":654},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=16513",[656,658,660,662,664],{"taxonomy":11,"embeddable":41,"href":657},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=16513",{"taxonomy":248,"embeddable":41,"href":659},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=16513",{"taxonomy":251,"embeddable":41,"href":661},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=16513",{"taxonomy":254,"embeddable":41,"href":663},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=16513",{"taxonomy":257,"embeddable":41,"href":665},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=16513",[667],{"name":39,"href":40,"templated":41},{"id":669,"date":670,"date_gmt":671,"guid":672,"modified":674,"modified_gmt":675,"slug":676,"status":52,"type":53,"link":677,"title":678,"content":680,"excerpt":682,"author":61,"featured_media":684,"comment_status":63,"ping_status":63,"sticky":41,"template":64,"format":65,"meta":685,"categories":686,"tags":688,"project_category":701,"contact_email_category":702,"yst_prominent_words":703,"class_list":719,"better_featured_image":734,"acf":761,"yoast_meta":776,"_links":779},22092,"2025-06-17T10:11:18","2025-06-17T08:11:18",{"rendered":673},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F","2025-06-17T10:11:19","2025-06-17T08:11:19","are-you-going-to-wake-up-from-cryosleep","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fare-you-going-to-wake-up-from-cryosleep",{"rendered":679},"Are You Going To Wake Up From Cryosleep?",{"rendered":681,"protected":16},"\n\u003Cp>More than 500 people let their bodies have cooled down to -200 Celsius and preserved in liquid nitrogen in the hope that someday in the future, science will be able to cheat death and make them wake up from their Sleeping Beauty state. As of today, no one knows whether they will ever have the chance for a second life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Relax, David, open your eyes!\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>That’s the last line from \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.imdb.com\u002Ftitle\u002Ftt0259711\u002F?ref_=ttpl_pl_tt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Vanilla Sky\u003C\u002Fa>, the movie remake about a wealthy playboy in cryosleep waking up after 150 years from his lucid dream (starring Tom Cruise as David). The audience doesn’t know what happens next, and whether he can survive the procedure, not to speak about living in a society where every one of his friends and relatives is dead, and people live a completely different way of life than he was used to. \u003Cstrong>Concerns about the feasibility of cryonics as well as its “afterlife” are as old as the birth of the idea that people could fall asleep for a long time and wake up as if nothing happened\u003C\u002Fstrong> – isn’t Sleeping Beauty about cryonics, really?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Nevertheless, the idea of preserving bodies in some liquid cooled down to below zero temperatures appears in many sci-fi movies indicating the concept has interested the audience already for a while. Do you remember \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fwatch?v=E-AmHZ17gWM\" target=\"_blank\">Han Solo being hibernated in The Empire Strikes Back\u003C\u002Fa>? And \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fwatch?v=WCtkibZqSpk\" target=\"_blank\">Ellen Ripley and the crew waking up\u003C\u002Fa> in a cryotube used for interstellar travel in the Alien series? Recently, cryonics and cryosleep are getting more and more attention as billionaires from Silicon Valley start to look at it as a real possibility to avoid death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Moreover, its principle is backed by news about \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.uni-stuttgart.de\u002Fen\u002Funiversity\u002Fnews\u002Fall\u002FSleeping-Beauty-in-an-ice-cube-How-tardigrades-survive-freezing-temperatures\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">a revived tardigrade\u003C\u002Fa> (tiny, water-dwelling organism) that had been frozen for more than three decades; and news about how scientists are trying to de-extinct the woolly mammoth. Back in 2013, Russian scientists \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.history.com\u002Fnews\u002Fcan-scientists-clone-a-woolly-mammoth-should-they\" target=\"_blank\">discovered\u003C\u002Fa> a well-preserved woolly mammoth carcass trapped in the permafrost of northern Siberia for some 42,000 years. They named the specimen Buttercup (of course). Now, George Church and his team are trying to extract DNA from the ancient mammoth specimen and use gene editing to combine it with that of the Asian elephant. Such news could give ideas to some people: what if I let my body preserve in ice, too, and will be recreated somehow in the future?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>The brief history of cryonics\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>That’s precisely the basic idea of cryonics. The word itself is also \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fscience.howstuffworks.com\u002Flife\u002Fgenetic\u002Fcryonics4.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">derived from the Greek term for “cold”\u003C\u002Fa>, and \u003Cstrong>it means the low-temperature preservation of a human corpse, with the hope that one day it can be restored to life and full health. Bodies are cooled down to -200 Celsius and placed in a container of liquid nitrogen\u003C\u002Fstrong>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Michigan professor, Robert Ettinger proposed \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Ftechnology\u002F2008\u002Ffeb\u002F14\u002Fresearch.cryonics\" target=\"_blank\">cryonics\u003C\u002Fa> in 1964 in a book called The Prospect of Immortality, which argued that death could, in fact, be a reversible process. The first person to be cryopreserved was Dr. James Bedford in 1967. He died of kidney cancer, but his will was to be put into a cryo-chamber, in hopes that one day in the future, doctors would be able to bring him back. Ettinger, who died in 2011, went on to found the \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.cryonics.org\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Cryonics Institute\u003C\u002Fa> in Michigan where he, his mother and his first and second wives all now reside in metal flasks kept at −196 °C.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1792\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2024\u002F05\u002Fcryosleep.jpg\" alt=\"cryosleep, stasis chambers, cryonics\" class=\"wp-image-56027\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2024\u002F05\u002Fcryosleep.jpg 1792w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2024\u002F05\u002Fcryosleep-768x439.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2024\u002F05\u002Fcryosleep-1536x878.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1792px) 100vw, 1792px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Although the concept has never become mainstream, around six companies were established in the 1970s to use the technology. However, the majority could not cover the fixed costs of preserving the bodies, thus they went bankrupt, and the number of people choosing to sign up is steadily increasing year on year. \u003Cstrong>There are now \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Fscience\u002F2016\u002Fnov\u002F18\u002Fthe-cryonics-dilemma-will-deep-frozen-bodies-be-fit-for-new-life\">nearly 300 cryogenically frozen individuals in the US, another 50 in Russia\u003C\u002Fa>, and a few thousand prospective candidates signed up. There are even more than 30 pets at \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.alcor.org\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Alcor’s\u003C\u002Fa> chambers, the largest cryonics organization in the world in Arizona, that has been around since 1972.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>One tiny problem though. We’re not sure if we can wake them up – no matter how convincingly cryogenics companies are stating it otherwise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Traveling in cryosleep\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong> to Mars?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>That’s the same trouble with cryosleep, the most popular means of travel for sci-fi movies and literature where protagonists go to other planets by light years. However, \u003Cstrong>if we could make it work, it would really be a game-changer — from saving terminally ill patients to solving one of the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nasa.gov\u002Fcenters-and-facilities\u002Fglenn\u002Fbrr-its-cold-in-here-nasas-cryo-efforts-beyond-the-atmosphere\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">main problems of interstellar travels\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fstrong> \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>And there are many attempts to make it a reality. An Atlanta-based startup, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.spaceworks.aero\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Space Works Enterprises\u003C\u002Fa> was working with NASA to develop a stasis chamber (but the project \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.spaceworks.aero\u002Ftag\u002Fhuman-stasis\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">seems to be dumped\u003C\u002Fa>). According to the original idea, the module lowers the body temperature to 32 Celsius and creates mild hypothermia. And with multiple sessions, a room like that could be a massive advancement in space travel. But it’s not suspended animation, it’s rather \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nasa.gov\u002Fgeneral\u002Ftorpor-inducing-transfer-habitat-for-human-stasis-to-mars-2\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">deep sleep called torpor\u003C\u002Fa> significantly reducing metabolic rates for humans over extended periods. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>However, The Medical Futurist is not sure whether a form of deep sleep will be enough if we want to travel light years. We suspect we’ll need to come up with something better and for that, we’ll need more research into cryogenics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Wake me up when cryosleep ends\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>The trouble with cryogenics and cryosleep is pure physics: our cells are filled with water. And when you freeze water, it expands and forms crystals, which irreversibly damage the body. \u003C\u002Fstrong>The Cryonics Institute is trying to fix that problem by \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.dailymail.co.uk\u002Fsciencetech\u002Farticle-5270257\u002FCryogenics-corpses-brought-10-years.html\" target=\"_blank\">draining the blood and replacing it with an antifreeze fluid to stop harmful ice crystals from forming\u003C\u002Fa> in the body. At Alcor, they use a process called vitrification. They substitute the water in the cells with an antifreeze agent. So when the tissues are cooled to cryogenic temperatures, instead of crystallizing into ice, the chemicals clump together and become solid, molecularly similar to glass. And this new glass form prevents the cells from bursting and, theoretically, holds them in stasis forever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>However, \u003Cstrong>recent advances in medicine have not proven yet that such complex systems as the human circulatory system or the brain can be “stored” with the help of anti-freeze material without causing damage\u003C\u002Fstrong>. Clive Coen, a professor of neuroscience at King’s College London says that on the one hand, the massively dense brain tissues cannot be handled by anti-freeze, and on the other, by the time the cryonics team arrives at the bedside of a patient who just passed away, some neurons are already irreversibly dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1792\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2024\u002F05\u002Fcryosleep-2.jpg\" alt=\"cryosleep, stasis chambers, cryonics\" class=\"wp-image-56029\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2024\u002F05\u002Fcryosleep-2.jpg 1792w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2024\u002F05\u002Fcryosleep-2-768x439.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2024\u002F05\u002Fcryosleep-2-1536x878.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1792px) 100vw, 1792px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>No matter what, some people are still hopeful. For example, Anders Sandberg, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.fhi.ox.ac.uk\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">of Oxford University’s Future of Humanity Institute\u003C\u002Fa> (a research hub sadly closed down in April 2024), \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Fscience\u002F2016\u002Fnov\u002F18\u002Fthe-cryonics-dilemma-will-deep-frozen-bodies-be-fit-for-new-life\">told The Guardian\u003C\u002Fa> that he would pay for his head to be frozen in the hope that the brain’s contents might be “downloaded” into a robotic agent in the future. He gives the freezing, thawing and reanimation process “maybe a 5% chance” of working.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Want to be fit and well? Jump into a cryochamber!\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>It’s understandable why people are not standing in huge lines in front of cryonics companies to be preserved upon death. At the same time, the idea of cryotherapies and the use of “freezing cold temperatures” for better health have become more and more popular in the last couple of years – especially since celebrities and sportsmen, such as \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.health.harvard.edu\u002Fblog\u002Fcan-cryotherapy-stop-your-pain-cold-or-is-just-a-lot-of-hot-air-2018041813612\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Justin Timberlake, Jennifer Aniston, and LeBron James\u003C\u002Fa> embraced the technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Of course, the concept itself is nothing new – only the technology. \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.co.uk\u002Fprogrammes\u002Farticles\u002FXTsflSzkDtQDDygCr9FbRG\u002Fare-ice-baths-and-cold-water-really-that-good-for-us\" target=\"_blank\">Using cold water or hydrotherapy is an ancient practice\u003C\u002Fa>. Hippocrates recommended bathing in spring water to ‘allay lassitude’, and the ancient Egyptians turned it into an art form with essential oils and flowers. \u003Cstrong>If you ever placed a pack of ice on an injured muscle, you already used it and know the benefits. Here, the difference is that cryotherapy usually doesn’t use water or ice, only extremely low temperatures. In the case of \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.webmd.com\u002Fpain-management\u002Fwhat-is-whole-body-cryotherapy\" target=\"_blank\">whole-body cryotherapy\u003C\u002Fa>, patients sit or step into a cryotherapy booth for 3-5 minutes. The method is used to relieve muscle pain, sprains and swelling after soft tissue damage or surgery. \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>It has to be noted, though, that in spite of its popularity, there’s no convincing evidence about its proven long-term advantages yet. The \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.health.harvard.edu\u002Fblog\u002Fcan-cryotherapy-stop-your-pain-cold-or-is-just-a-lot-of-hot-air-2018041813612\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">escalating claims of benefit and rising demand led the\u003C\u002Fa> \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.fda.gov\u002FForConsumers\u002FConsumerUpdates\u002Fucm508739.htm\">FDA to warn consumers\u003C\u002Fa> recently that, “If you decide to try whole-body cryotherapy, know that the FDA has not cleared or approved any of these devices for medical treatment of any specific medical conditions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Nevertheless, cryotherapy, cryosleep, and cryogenics are here to stay. Perhaps the popularity of cryotherapy will fade as “the next big thing” comes, maybe we will never know whether cryopreservation works, but cryosleep will definitely develop further – as the most promising technology for interstellar travels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"10px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>At The Medical Futurist, we are building a community for making a bold vision about the future of healthcare reality today.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FFIbMejImnxs\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003Cp>If you’d like to support this mission, we invite you to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">join The Medical Futurist Patreon Community\u003C\u002Fa>. A community of empowered patients, future-oriented healthcare professionals, concerned health policymakers, sensible health tech developers, and enthusiastic medical students. If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our research and sustains our future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">\u003Cstrong style=\"background-color: #e71d3299; color: #000;\">Click here to support The Medical Futurist from as little as $3\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa> – it only takes a minute. Thank you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Ftbody>\n\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"rendered":683,"protected":16},"\u003Cp>Cryosleep and cryonics are getting more and more attention. Here’s everything you need to know about cryosleep & cryogenic sleep chambers\u003C\u002Fp>\n",22137,{"_acf_changed":16,"footnotes":64},[68,5,281,687],801,[689,75,690,74,691,692,693,694,695,696,697,698,699,700,91],742,302,383,387,412,994,1088,1089,1090,577,198,635,[558,294],[],[101,704,705,706,707,708,709,710,711,712,713,103,714,715,716,113,717,431,718],1769,1747,1771,1749,1773,1751,1775,1753,1779,1755,1757,1759,1761,1763,1765,[720,53,116,117,118,119,120,121,122,309,721,722,128,723,127,724,725,726,727,728,729,730,731,732,733,144,583,320],"post-22092","category-space-medicine","tag-nasa","tag-mars","tag-science-fiction","tag-scifi","tag-space","tag-life","tag-cryosleep","tag-cryotherapy","tag-cryogenics","tag-space-travel","tag-death","tag-cryonics",{"id":684,"alt_text":735,"caption":64,"description":735,"media_type":149,"media_details":736,"post":669,"source_url":760},"TMF, Cryosleep",{"width":737,"height":738,"file":739,"sizes":740,"image_meta":758},870,489,"2018\u002F10\u002F043_hibernation.png",{"medium":741,"large":744,"thumbnail":747,"medium_large":750,"large_old_512x288":751,"thumbnail_old_150x150":754,"medium_old_370x208":755,"medium_large_old_768x432":756,"large_old_512x288_old_512x288":757},{"file":742,"width":157,"height":158,"mime-type":331,"source_url":743},"043_hibernation-370x208.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F10\u002F043_hibernation-370x208.png",{"file":745,"width":163,"height":164,"mime-type":331,"source_url":746},"043_hibernation-768x432.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F10\u002F043_hibernation-768x432.png",{"file":748,"width":168,"height":168,"mime-type":331,"source_url":749},"043_hibernation-150x150.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F10\u002F043_hibernation-150x150.png",{"file":745,"width":163,"height":164,"mime-type":331,"source_url":746},{"file":752,"width":173,"height":174,"mime-type":331,"source_url":753},"043_hibernation-512x288.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F10\u002F043_hibernation-512x288.png",{"file":748,"width":177,"height":177,"mime-type":331,"source_url":749},{"file":742,"width":179,"height":180,"mime-type":331,"source_url":743},{"file":745,"width":182,"height":183,"mime-type":331,"source_url":746},{"file":752,"width":185,"height":186,"mime-type":331,"source_url":753},{"aperture":188,"credit":64,"camera":64,"caption":64,"created_timestamp":188,"copyright":64,"focal_length":188,"iso":188,"shutter_speed":188,"title":64,"orientation":188,"keywords":759},[],"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F10\u002F043_hibernation.png",{"related_posts":16,"related_posts_footer":762,"cta_type":348,"cta_color":64,"subtitle":64,"related_books":766,"key_takeaways":769},[763,764,765],11902,24598,55791,[767,617,768],24764,31417,[770,772,774],{"title":771},"\u003Cp>If we could make it work, it would really be a game-changer — from saving terminally ill patients, to solving one of the main problems of interstellar travels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"title":773},"\u003Cp>Recent advances in medicine have not proven yet that such complex systems as the human circulatory system or the brain can be “stored”, even with the help of anti-freeze material without causing damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"title":775},"\u003Cp>Nevertheless, more than 500 individuals and a few dozen pets had themselves cryonically preserved, and another four thousands are on the waiting lists for cryonic preservation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"yoast_wpseo_title":777,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":778,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":677},"Cryosleep - An Overview of Cryonics, Cryosleep and Cryotherapy","Cryosleep and cryonics are getting more and more attention. Here's everything you need to know about cryosleep & cryogenic sleep chambers",{"self":780,"collection":785,"about":787,"author":789,"replies":791,"version-history":794,"predecessor-version":798,"wp:featuredmedia":802,"wp:attachment":805,"wp:term":808,"curies":819},[781],{"href":782,"targetHints":783},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F22092",{"allow":784},[27],[786],{"href":220},[788],{"href":223},[790],{"embeddable":41,"href":226},[792],{"embeddable":41,"href":793},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=22092",[795],{"count":796,"href":797},31,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F22092\u002Frevisions",[799],{"id":800,"href":801},56131,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F22092\u002Frevisions\u002F56131",[803],{"embeddable":41,"href":804},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F22137",[806],{"href":807},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=22092",[809,811,813,815,817],{"taxonomy":11,"embeddable":41,"href":810},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=22092",{"taxonomy":248,"embeddable":41,"href":812},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=22092",{"taxonomy":251,"embeddable":41,"href":814},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=22092",{"taxonomy":254,"embeddable":41,"href":816},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=22092",{"taxonomy":257,"embeddable":41,"href":818},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=22092",[820],{"name":39,"href":40,"templated":41},{"id":822,"date":823,"date_gmt":824,"guid":825,"modified":827,"modified_gmt":828,"slug":829,"status":52,"type":53,"link":830,"title":831,"content":833,"excerpt":835,"author":61,"featured_media":837,"comment_status":63,"ping_status":63,"sticky":41,"template":64,"format":65,"meta":838,"categories":839,"tags":840,"project_category":847,"contact_email_category":848,"yst_prominent_words":849,"class_list":863,"better_featured_image":871,"acf":895,"yoast_meta":909,"_links":911},24354,"2025-03-03T10:27:50","2025-03-03T09:27:50",{"rendered":826},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?post_id=24354&_wpnonce=c8a1f4ec72&status=auto-draft&type=post","2025-03-03T10:28:00","2025-03-03T09:28:00","rfid-implant-chip","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Frfid-implant-chip",{"rendered":832},"Everything You Need To Know Before Getting An RFID Implant",{"rendered":834,"protected":16},"\n\u003Cp>What if you could open your front door or unlock your car just by raising your hand? Never having to trouble yourself \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ftechxplore.com\u002Fnews\u002F2021-12-swedish-company-covid-skin.html\" target=\"_blank\">with your medical documents\u003C\u002Fa>? Or remembering where you’ve put \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.com\u002Fnews\u002Fbusiness-61008730\" target=\"_blank\">your wallet\u003C\u002Fa>. What about sending your LinkedIn profile or a dancing monkey GIF to a phone just by holding it? And what about turning on a coffee machine by pointing to it? \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>This is not the future anymore. Wannabe cyborgs with little RFID chips under their skin are living with us: some \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fgnnguidepost.org\u002F8251\u002Funcategorized\u002Fa-fictional-reality-human-microchipping\u002F#:~:text=Now%2C%20people%20have%20the%20ability,number%20has%20been%20increasing%20rapidly.\" target=\"_blank\">fifty-thousand people have implanted\u003C\u002Fa> the tiny devices already under their skin to be able to have simpler access to buildings or (other people’s) phones. Do you want to join the cyborg community? Here’s what you should know about RFID chips before you implant them into your body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Should You Get An RFID Implant? \u002F Episode 2 - The Medical Futurist\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FGs0bVs8QuWE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Captain Cyborg and the RFID implant\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.techtarget.com\u002Fiotagenda\u002Fdefinition\u002FRFID-radio-frequency-identification\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology\u003C\u002Fa> has been around for decades. It uses radio waves to exchange data between a tag (embedded with an antenna and integrated circuit) and a reader. RFID tags come in various types – passive, active, and semi-passive – and operate on different frequency bands, each with its own strengths and limitations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>RFID has a wide range of applications, from tracking luggage and identifying pets to managing inventory in retail stores and even monitoring medical equipment in hospitals. It’s also becoming increasingly prevalent in the Internet of Things (IoT), enabling everyday objects to communicate with each other. You probably already have a personal RFID chip \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nerdwallet.com\u002Farticle\u002Fcredit-cards\u002Fwhat-is-an-rfid-credit-card-and-does-it-matter\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">in your credit card\u003C\u002Fa>, and they are increasingly used for access control, contactless payments, and even social interactions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theatlantic.com\u002Ftechnology\u002Farchive\u002F2018\u002F09\u002Fhow-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-the-microchip\u002F570946\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">The first-ever human to receive an RFID microchip implant\u003C\u002Fa> was British scientist Kevin Warwick (known by the moniker “Captain Cyborg”) in 1998. \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedium.com\u002F@molinforuvai\u002Fbrain-implants-to-improve-our-memory-antenna-to-transmit-electromagnetic-signals-directly-to-our-2f1e57c9a380\" target=\"_blank\">This experiment\u003C\u002Fa> allowed a computer to monitor Warwick as he moved through halls and offices of the Department of Cybernetics at the University of Reading, using a unique identifying signal emitted by the implanted chip. He could operate doors, lights, heaters and other computers without lifting a finger. Approximately two decades later, the technology has been made commercially available, and tens of thousands of people decided to implant an RFID chip. For example, groups of people have been meeting at \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.com\u002Fnews\u002Ftechnology-30144072\" target=\"_blank\">“implant parties,”\u003C\u002Fa> often organized by larger companies, to hook up. It’s especially popular in Sweden, where more than 4,000 individuals can take pride in opening doors by only lifting their hands. So, why is the rush? And why should you consider implanting one?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F04\u002Fcyborg-man.png\" alt=\"TMF Cyborg man RFID impant\" class=\"wp-image-56527\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F04\u002Fcyborg-man.png 1280w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F04\u002Fcyborg-man-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F04\u002Fcyborg-man-768x432.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Congratulations, you’ve been RFID-chipped!\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In the future, an RFID chip implanted into your hand, between your thumb and your index finger on the back of your hand, could contain a lot of useful information – that you usually carry around in your wallet or purse. It could \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblog.richardvanhooijdonk.com\u002Fen\u002Fhuman-microchipping-the-benefits-and-downsides\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">transmit your identity information\u003C\u002Fa> as you walk through a security checkpoint, enable you to use public transport, and make long lines at the supermarket checkout a thing of the past. You wouldn’t have to worry about losing your most important documents or your wallet ever again – and ‘within hand’s reach’ will most certainly have a second layer of meaning. Moreover, imagine that in a medical emergency situation, the first responders only have to scan your hand to get to know every valuable bit of medical data about you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>We are obviously not there yet. Although the technology has ripened significantly in recent years, even the most advanced chips still have limitations. Modern RFID chips typically store more data than earlier versions, though the increase in capacity has been gradual. However, according to user reviews, they can serve multiple functions. “I use my microchip to store my medical records and work portfolio, as well as to use it as a crypto wallet and to unlock doors” – says Brandon Dalaly about his implant \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.vice.com\u002Fen\u002Farticle\u002Fwxd8j4\u002Finside-an-online-community-of-people-with-microchip-implants\" target=\"_blank\">in this article\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.popsci.com\u002Fmy-boring-cyborg-implant\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">In theory\u003C\u002Fa>, you could connect it to your bank account, your transit card for use in the subway, or to pay at the grocery store. The challenge remains that many systems are not yet designed to integrate seamlessly with such implants. However, upgrades to these systems are expected in the near future to support RFID chip functionality. In any case, if you find using entrance cards to access your office outdated, you might convince your boss to order RFID chips from \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fdangerousthings.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Dangerous Things\u003C\u002Fa>, an online store that sells various implantable transponders, and the place where most people buy their implants. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Dangerous? Hackable? Limiting? – The hazards of RFID\nchips\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Before you hit the order button on \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fdangerousthings.com\u002Fproduct\u002Fultron\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Dangerous Things\u003C\u002Fa> website to order some implants, there are several things to think through as an RFID implant isn’t a temporary tattoo, which can be removed by taking ten showers. That’s actually one of the most problematic parts of these chips: who is going to implant it, how safe it is for your health, and how do you remove it? \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Medical Concerns\u003C\u002Fh4>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>A \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.jhsgo.org\u002Farticle\u002FS2589-5141(24)00057-4\u002Ffulltext\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recent study\u003C\u002Fa> sheds light on the increasing prevalence and potential complications of RFID implants in humans. It highlights that while these implants are becoming popular for tasks like contactless payments, opening doors, and storing personal information, there are significant safety concerns. The study points out that most implants are currently performed by non-medical professionals, raising the risk of infections and adverse tissue reactions. It calls for more involvement from medical professionals, particularly hand surgeons, to develop standardized techniques for implanting these devices safely and effectively. The study underscores the need for further research to better understand the long-term implications of RFID implants in human health.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Dangerous Things recommends their \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fdangerousthings.com\u002Fpartners\" target=\"_blank\">professional body piercing or body modification partners\u003C\u002Fa> to complete the installation of this product, but definitely someone with experience performing aseptic procedures. Thus, you should NOT experiment with implanting it yourself, and rather turn to a medical professional who conducts the procedure in a clean area with sterilized instruments to avoid the risk of infection. The company says that the pain level of the implantation of the chip is that of a bee sting or giving blood. The same is promised to be true for removing the RFID transponder. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fforum.dangerousthings.com\u002Ft\u002Fx-series-implantable-transponder-faq\u002F28#faq-mri\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dangerous Things says\u003C\u002Fa> that the removal or replacement procedure is easy, you don’t have any interference issues with MRI, or get caught at the airport security gates, metal detectors or airport scanners due to your chip. In addition, the implants are pretty durable – you can easily fight supervillains all day long, the RFID chip will most probably not break. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Privacy and surveillance worries\u003C\u002Fh4>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Although \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.popsci.com\u002Fmy-boring-cyborg-implant\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">RFID chips are not powerful enough to be tracked\u003C\u002Fa> – just as dogs cannot be tracked when they wander off – or to connect to any satellite, some have fears that such chips give corporations the possibility to have control over them. What if they could track users in the future? Would you want a chip in your hand if it could tell for how long it took you to have a shower or to go to work? Since most chips are \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.npr.org\u002Fsections\u002Fthetwo-way\u002F2017\u002F07\u002F25\u002F539265157\u002Fwisconsin-company-plans-to-start-implanting-chips-in-its-employees\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">offered through big companies\u003C\u002Fa>, it’s just a matter of time until this happens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Are the chip implants hackable? \u003C\u002Fh4>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Some biohackers say that it’s very easy to hack an implant, so \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cbsnews.com\u002Fnews\u002Fmicrochips-privacy-implants-biohacking\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">you’d rather not hide your life secrets in the implant’s memory\u003C\u002Fa>, but so far, we haven’t heard of major RFID chip hacks. On the other hand, we know of at least one individual who used \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.com\u002Ffuture\u002Fstory\u002F20150515-i-hack-phones-with-touch-alone\" target=\"_blank\">the chip embedded into his hand to hack into other people’s phones\u003C\u002Fa>, so that might be a bigger concern. However, another idea that already surfaced among concerned potential users, namely that \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedium.com\u002F@kaylajheffernan\u002Fnfc-rfid-microchip-faqs-e0da70737efb#e4d1\" target=\"_blank\">your hands might be cut off\u003C\u002Fa> if someone wants to break into your house or office seems to be rather Black Mirror-ish than something to be worried about. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F04\u002Fcyborg-hand.png\" alt=\"TMF cyborg hand RFID implant\" class=\"wp-image-56529\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F04\u002Fcyborg-hand.png 1280w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F04\u002Fcyborg-hand-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F04\u002Fcyborg-hand-768x432.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Am I really becoming a cyborg?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>On the other hand, implanted RFID chips, just as digital tattoos or chest patches already represent \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Ffrom-human-to-cyborg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the second stage of cyborgization\u003C\u002Fa>, and that’s because no matter what Dangerous Things say, they cannot be removed as easily as your Flash T-shirt at the end of the day. Remember the bug in Neo’s stomach in the Matrix? He couldn’t have taken it out without help – but after some time, no lasting marks remained. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In the second stage of augmentation, technology interacts with the human body in a way that it already has a lasting, but not irreversible impact. Although their removal might be problematic, implants, patches, and tattoos could be cut out and discarded. Some extreme examples, where removal might be more difficult than the user believes, already exist: \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedium.com\u002F@jerry.jalava\" target=\"_blank\">Jerry Javala\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-worlds-most-famous-real-life-cyborgs\" target=\"_blank\"> \u003C\u002Fa>let doctors \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ffb.watch\u002FsGNpFfwpvP\u002F\">embed a USB port into his finger\u003C\u002Fa> prosthesis, but at the time being, RFID chips seem to be on the easier end of the spectrum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>So, if you decide to get an RFID implant, you’ll still be very far from \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-worlds-most-famous-real-life-cyborgs\">real-life cyborgs\u003C\u002Fa>, such as \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FNeil_Harbisson\" target=\"_blank\">Neil Harbisson\u003C\u002Fa>, an artist born with achromatopsia or extreme colorblindness meaning he could only see in black-and-white. At first, he received his specialised electronic eye, his “eyeborg” to be able to render perceived colors as sounds on the musical scale. He is capable of experiencing colors beyond the scope of normal human perception: \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Fartanddesign\u002F2014\u002Fmay\u002F06\u002Fneil-harbisson-worlds-first-cyborg-artist\" target=\"_blank\">Amy Winehouse is red and pink, while ringtones are green\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002F080_cyborg-1.png\" alt=\"RFID implant chip\" class=\"wp-image-23504\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002F080_cyborg-1.png 1920w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002F080_cyborg-1-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002F080_cyborg-1-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002F080_cyborg-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002F080_cyborg-1-512x288.png 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>All in all, the technology is very promising, although many might find the abilities that an RFID chip can do at the moment rather as geeky party tricks than useful everyday accessories making life easier. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Ca class=\"img\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\u002Fposts\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"311\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F04\u002FScreenshot-2020-04-02-at-13.35.51-768x311.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-27373\"\u002F\u003C\u002Fa srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F04\u002FScreenshot-2020-04-02-at-13.35.51-768x311.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F04\u002FScreenshot-2020-04-02-at-13.35.51.png 1518w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"rendered":836,"protected":16},"\u003Cp>What if you could turn on a coffee machine by pointing to it? Wannabe-cyborgs with little RFID chips under their skin are living with us: tens of thousands of people implanted the tiny devices already under their skin to have simpler access to buildings or (other people’s) phones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",42617,{"_acf_changed":16,"footnotes":64},[5,426],[75,79,841,842,83,843,551,844,91,845,544,846,545],630,1036,1037,1288,1428,1429,[],[],[431,850,101,851,852,853,854,855,856,857,858,859,860,861,301,862],3265,3267,3241,3269,3243,3273,3245,3249,3251,3253,3255,3257,3259,[864,53,116,117,118,119,120,122,440,128,132,865,866,136,867,577,868,144,869,570,870,571],"post-24354","tag-digital-technology","tag-digital-tattoo","tag-digital-tattoos","tag-implant","tag-chip","tag-rfid",{"id":837,"alt_text":872,"caption":64,"description":873,"media_type":149,"media_details":874,"post":822,"source_url":894},"RFID chip implant","RFID chip implant hand ",{"width":325,"height":326,"file":875,"sizes":876,"image_meta":893},"2019\u002F07\u002FRFID-chip-implant-in-hand.png",{"medium":877,"large":880,"thumbnail":883,"medium_large":886,"1536x1536":887,"2048x2048":890},{"file":878,"width":179,"height":180,"mime-type":331,"source_url":879},"RFID-chip-implant-in-hand-370x208.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FRFID-chip-implant-in-hand-370x208.png",{"file":881,"width":182,"height":183,"mime-type":331,"source_url":882},"RFID-chip-implant-in-hand-768x432.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FRFID-chip-implant-in-hand-768x432.png",{"file":884,"width":177,"height":177,"mime-type":331,"source_url":885},"RFID-chip-implant-in-hand-150x150.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FRFID-chip-implant-in-hand-150x150.png",{"file":881,"width":182,"height":183,"mime-type":331,"source_url":882},{"file":888,"width":342,"height":343,"mime-type":331,"source_url":889},"RFID-chip-implant-in-hand-1536x864.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FRFID-chip-implant-in-hand-1536x864.png",{"file":891,"width":605,"height":606,"mime-type":331,"source_url":892},"RFID-chip-implant-in-hand-2048x1152.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FRFID-chip-implant-in-hand-2048x1152.png",{"aperture":188,"credit":64,"camera":64,"caption":64,"created_timestamp":188,"copyright":64,"focal_length":188,"iso":188,"shutter_speed":188,"title":64,"orientation":188},"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FRFID-chip-implant-in-hand.png",{"related_posts":16,"related_posts_footer":896,"cta_type":348,"cta_color":64,"subtitle":64,"related_books":900,"key_takeaways":902},[897,898,899],56489,56371,10992,[350,352,901],34151,[903,905,907],{"title":904},"\u003Cp>Theoretically, RFID implants offer practical benefits as contactless payments, unlocking doors, and accessing medical data, with just a wave of your hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"title":906},"\u003Cp>However, the implants still face challenges such as safety concerns, potential infections, and limited data capacity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"title":908},"\u003Cp>Ethical considerations surrounding privacy, surveillance, and potential discrimination must also be addressed – nevertheless, the idea offers a glimpse into a future where technology seamlessly integrates with our bodies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"yoast_wpseo_title":832,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":910,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":830},"Are you ready for an RFID implant? Here’s everything what you should know about RFID chips before you implant them into your body.",{"self":912,"collection":917,"about":919,"author":921,"replies":923,"version-history":926,"predecessor-version":930,"wp:featuredmedia":934,"wp:attachment":937,"wp:term":940,"curies":951},[913],{"href":914,"targetHints":915},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F24354",{"allow":916},[27],[918],{"href":220},[920],{"href":223},[922],{"embeddable":41,"href":226},[924],{"embeddable":41,"href":925},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=24354",[927],{"count":928,"href":929},26,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F24354\u002Frevisions",[931],{"id":932,"href":933},56601,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F24354\u002Frevisions\u002F56601",[935],{"embeddable":41,"href":936},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F42617",[938],{"href":939},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=24354",[941,943,945,947,949],{"taxonomy":11,"embeddable":41,"href":942},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=24354",{"taxonomy":248,"embeddable":41,"href":944},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=24354",{"taxonomy":251,"embeddable":41,"href":946},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=24354",{"taxonomy":254,"embeddable":41,"href":948},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=24354",{"taxonomy":257,"embeddable":41,"href":950},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=24354",[952],{"name":39,"href":40,"templated":41},{"id":954,"date":955,"date_gmt":956,"guid":957,"modified":955,"modified_gmt":956,"slug":959,"status":52,"type":53,"link":960,"title":961,"content":963,"excerpt":965,"author":61,"featured_media":967,"comment_status":968,"ping_status":968,"sticky":41,"template":64,"format":65,"meta":969,"categories":970,"tags":971,"project_category":975,"contact_email_category":976,"yst_prominent_words":977,"class_list":980,"better_featured_image":985,"acf":1014,"yoast_meta":1020,"_links":1022},11151,"2025-01-07T09:37:32","2025-01-07T08:37:32",{"rendered":958},"http:\u002F\u002Fscienceroll.com\u002F?p=11151","the-worlds-most-famous-real-life-cyborgs","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-worlds-most-famous-real-life-cyborgs",{"rendered":962},"The World’s Most Famous Real-Life Cyborgs",{"rendered":964,"protected":16},"\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan data-offset-key=\"1u8l3-0-0\"> In the future of humankind, brain implants could improve our memory. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan class=\"hardreadability\">\u003Cspan data-offset-key=\"1u8l3-1-0\">Implanted magnets or RFID chips implanted in our fingers could replace passwords and keys\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan data-offset-key=\"1u8l3-2-0\">. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan class=\"hardreadability\">\u003Cspan data-offset-key=\"1u8l3-3-0\">Exoskeletons could boost our strength, and augment a whole range of our human capabilities\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan data-offset-key=\"1u8l3-4-0\">. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan class=\"hardreadability\">\u003Cspan data-offset-key=\"1u8l3-5-0\">So, it will never be more important to keep the features that make us human, such as empathy, creativity or the ability for change\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan data-offset-key=\"1u8l3-6-0\">. It is not easy to find the right balance between technology and being human, though.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Here, we discuss the world’s most famous real-life cyborgs who might show us positive examples of how to do it.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The World’s Most Famous Real-Life Cyborgs: Top 9! - The Medical Futurist\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002Fcwt1l0r4C-A?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003C!--more-->\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tiptoeing around humans with machine parts\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>People imagine cyborgs usually as mean creatures combining some human and superhuman features in a robotic body. Movie characters such as the Terminator, Darth Vader, or the Borgs in Star Trek come to mind. But you do not have to go as far as Star Wars to get in contact with cyborg-like features or characteristics. According to the usual definition, a cyborg combines organic and mechanical body parts. Yet, some scientists stretch this understanding. They include people with cochlear implants, cardiac pacemakers or even contact lenses. In a way, it is valid: the human body is augmented with technology, and the two work together to improve human capabilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Astechnological innovations in the field of medicine and healthcare multiply day by day, it will be more and more usual to augment our bodies with the help of machines. It makes us faster, stronger or more sensitive to the environment. This means that the boundaries of “human-ness” are stretched raising serious ethical questions. Here, I introduce you real-life cyborgs, who show us the current boundaries of the coexistence of man and machine in one person. And they might also mark the way how to find a balance between the two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1) \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.harbisson.com\u002F\">\u003Cstrong>Neil Harbisson\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>With an antenna implanted into his head, he looks like a giant ant led from behind by a piece of bread on a stick. Coupled with his light mop haircut he looks like the main character would in a Wes Anderson sci-fi if he ever directed one. Harbisson is actually an artist born with achromatopsia or extreme colorblindness meaning he could only see in black-and-white. At first, he received his specialized electronic eye, his “eyeborg” to be able to render perceived colors as sounds on the musical scale. He is capable of experiencing colors beyond the scope of normal human perception: \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Fartanddesign\u002F2014\u002Fmay\u002F06\u002Fneil-harbisson-worlds-first-cyborg-artist\">Amy Winehouse is red and pink, while ringtones are green\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Harbisson has been living as a cyborg for more than 10 years already. He believes that \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Fartanddesign\u002F2014\u002Fmay\u002F06\u002Fneil-harbisson-worlds-first-cyborg-artist\">humans have a duty to use technology to transcend themselves\u003C\u002Fa> and that it will happen in the future. It will start with a third eye on the back of the head or an implanted sensor indicating whether there is a car behind you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"544\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fa-color-blind-artist-neil-harbisson-wears-an-antenna-that-allows-him-to-“hear”-color-through-vibrations-in-his-skull.jpg\" alt=\"Neil Harbisson - Top Cyborgs\" class=\"wp-image-15869\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fa-color-blind-artist-neil-harbisson-wears-an-antenna-that-allows-him-to-“hear”-color-through-vibrations-in-his-skull.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fa-color-blind-artist-neil-harbisson-wears-an-antenna-that-allows-him-to-“hear”-color-through-vibrations-in-his-skull-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fa-color-blind-artist-neil-harbisson-wears-an-antenna-that-allows-him-to-“hear”-color-through-vibrations-in-his-skull-512x320.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fa-color-blind-artist-neil-harbisson-wears-an-antenna-that-allows-him-to-“hear”-color-through-vibrations-in-his-skull-400x250.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2) \u003Cstrong>Dr. Kevin Warwick\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>He has been known as “Captain Cyborg” and teaches at the University of Reading as a cybernetics professor. Warwick has experimented with different electronic implants since 1998 such as installing a microchip in his arm which lets him operate lights, heaters or computers remotely. As dedicated as he is, Warwick also gave an implant to his wife, so that when someone grasped her hand the man was able to experience the same sensation in his. It is jaw-dropping and awkwardly scary at the same time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>He is the founder of Project Cyborg using himself as the guinea pig on a mission to become the world’s most complete cyborg. Beyond his work on himself, he is involved in AI research. He faced serious criticism in 2014 over claims that \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.telegraph.co.uk\u002Fnews\u002Fscience\u002Fscience-news\u002F10888828\u002FCaptain-Cyborg-the-man-behind-the-controversial-Turing-Test-claims.html\">the “supercomputer” called Eugene Goostman passed the “milestone” Turing-test for Artificial Intelligence\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"579\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fkevin-warwick.jpg\" alt=\"Kevin Warwick - Top Cyborgs\" class=\"wp-image-15870\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fkevin-warwick.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fkevin-warwick-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fkevin-warwick-512x341.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fkevin-warwick-375x250.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3) \u003Cstrong>Jesse Sullivan\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Sullivan worked as an electrical linesman when in May 2001, he suffered a life-threatening accident: he was electrocuted so severely that both of his arms needed to be amputated. This, however, led to him to become the world’s first “Bionic Man”. The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago offered him to replace his arms with robotic prosthetics, which opportunity he gladly took. He was fitted with a bionic limb connected through a nerve-muscle grafting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>He has control over his limb with his mind: \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.wired.co.uk\u002Farticle\u002Fcyborgs\">when he thinks about lifting an arm\u003C\u002Fa>, for example, certain muscles in his chest contract instead of muscles in his original arm, and the prosthetic replacement interprets this contraction as an instruction to move in a certain way. Moreover, he can also feel temperature as well as how much pressure his grip applies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Jesse Sullivan Operates Bionic Arm with his Brain (silent) | Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FddInW6sm7JE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4) \u003Cstrong>Nigel Ackland\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>He worked as a precious metals smelter until his accident at his workplace involving an industrial blender. This led to a severe crush injury of his right forearm. He underwent six months of operations and infections before deciding to have a below elbow amputation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Over the years, he tried several prosthetic types, but finally, he received a bebionic3 hand. With its help, he can independently move to grip even delicate objects. He controls the arm through muscle movements in his remaining forearm. The range of movement is truly extraordinary. He can independently move each of his five fingers to grip delicate objects, or even pour a liquid into a glass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"544\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fnigal-ackland.jpg\" alt=\"Nigal Ackland - Top Cyborgs\" class=\"wp-image-15871\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fnigal-ackland.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fnigal-ackland-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fnigal-ackland-512x320.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fnigal-ackland-400x250.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5) \u003Cstrong>Jerry Jalava\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The Finnish programmer had a terrible motorcycle accident when he lost his left ring finger. \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.spiegel.de\u002Fnetzwelt\u002Fweb\u002Fprothese-finne-ersetzt-finger-durch-usb-stick-a-613632.html\">It was just a week after he bought his new motorbike that he accidentally hit a deer\u003C\u002Fa>. Right after it happened, he lit a cigarette when he realized that he misses the upper half of his finger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Then he decided against a traditional prosthesis and rather went for something “useful”: a 2GB USB port was embedded into his prosthetic. It doesn’t upload any information directly into his brain though. He is the perfect example of how you don’t need to be a robotics mastermind to become a cyborg…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"487\" height=\"365\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fjerry-javala_usb-stick-instead-of-finger.jpg\" alt=\"Top Cyborgs\" class=\"wp-image-15872\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fjerry-javala_usb-stick-instead-of-finger.jpg 487w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fjerry-javala_usb-stick-instead-of-finger-334x250.jpg 334w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 487px) 100vw, 487px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6) \u003Cstrong>Cameron Clapp\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Until his life-changing accident, Cameron lived the life of the “California teens”: he loved to surf, skateboard and hang with friends. He was 15 when he wandered over to some railroad tracks near their house and passed out after \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.hangerclinic.com\u002Fempowered-stories\u002FPages\u002FCameron-Clapp.aspx\">drinking with his brother moved by the 9\u002F11 tragedy what happened around that time\u003C\u002Fa>. When a train passed, he, unfortunately, lost both of his legs plus an arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>He got fitted with a couple of prosthetic legs controlled by his brain with the help of a microprocessor. Since then, he has become an athlete and an amputee activist. His advice to struggling patients? “Surround yourself with good people… good doctors, therapists, family, and friends. Set reachable goals, work hard and maintain a good attitude.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"618\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fcameron-clapp.jpg\" alt=\"Cameron Clapp - Top Cyborgs\" class=\"wp-image-15873\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fcameron-clapp.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fcameron-clapp-768x546.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fcameron-clapp-512x364.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fcameron-clapp-352x250.jpg 352w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7) \u003Cstrong>Professor Steve Mann\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The Canadian tech-crazy professor designed a headset that is outfitted with a number of small computers and through it, he can record and play video and audio. He was one of the, if not the first, cyborgs in the world. Mann definitely \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fcyborganthropology.com\u002FSteve_Mann\">experimented first with wearable computing in high school in the 70s\u003C\u002Fa>. At MIT he literally bristled with equipment, wearing 80 pounds of computing equipment to class.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Mann was allegedly also the victim of the \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fio9.gizmodo.com\u002F5926587\u002Fwhat-may-be-the-worlds-first-cybernetic-hate-crime-unfolds-in-french-mcdonalds\">world’s “first cybernetic hate crime”\u003C\u002Fa> in 2012: he was at a McDonald’s restaurant in Paris with his family when three different McDonald’s employees attempted to forcibly remove his “Digital Eye Glass” from his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fsteve-mann.jpg\" alt=\"Steve Mann - Top Cyborgs\" class=\"wp-image-15874\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fsteve-mann.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fsteve-mann-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fsteve-mann-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fsteve-mann-512x288.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fsteve-mann-444x250.jpg 444w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">8) \u003Cstrong>Claudia Mitchell\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Mitchell is the first woman to have a bionic arm and just as in the majority of the listed cases, her transformation into a cyborg life was also due to an accident. Although she spent four years in the Marine Corps she did not lose her arm during military service but in a motorcycle accident. She lost her left arm completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>She told several newspapers that she used to peel bananas using both feet and one hand before she received her bionic arm. The robotic limb comes from the \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.ric.org\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago\u003C\u002Fa> just as in the case of Jesse Sullivan and was developed for $3 million. She \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.washingtonpost.com\u002Fwp-dyn\u002Fcontent\u002Farticle\u002F2006\u002F09\u002F13\u002FAR2006091302271.html\">cried when she first peeled a banana one-handed\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"562\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fbionic-woman-demonstrates-thought-controlled-prostheses.jpg\" alt=\"Top Cyborgs\" class=\"wp-image-15876\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fbionic-woman-demonstrates-thought-controlled-prostheses.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fbionic-woman-demonstrates-thought-controlled-prostheses-768x496.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fbionic-woman-demonstrates-thought-controlled-prostheses-512x331.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fbionic-woman-demonstrates-thought-controlled-prostheses-387x250.jpg 387w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">9) \u003Cstrong>Stelios Arcadio\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>He is also known as Stelarc. He is a performance artist who believes that the human body is obsolete. To prove this, he has had an artificially-created ear surgically attached to his left arm. In another show, he hooked up electrodes to his body to allow people to control his muscles through the Web.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>He has his particular views how humans should look at technology and the symbiosis of the two. In an \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.techradar.com\u002Fnews\u002Fworld-of-tech\u002Fmeet-the-real-life-human-cyborgs-600543\">interview\u003C\u002Fa>, he said that “we shouldn’t have a Frankensteinian fear of incorporating technology into the body, and we shouldn’t consider our relationship to technology in a Faustian way – that we’re somehow selling our soul because we’re using these forbidden energies. My attitude is that technology is, and always has been, an appendage of the body.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"653\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fstelarc.jpg\" alt=\"Stelarc - Top Cyborgs\" class=\"wp-image-15878\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fstelarc.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fstelarc-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fstelarc-512x384.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Fstelarc-333x250.jpg 333w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>They are the world’s most famous real-life cyborgs. Did I miss anyone? Reach out to me on \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ftwitter.com\u002FBerci\">Twitter\u003C\u002Fa> or \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.facebook.com\u002Fmedicalfuturist\u002F?fref=ts\">Facebook\u003C\u002Fa>!\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"rendered":966,"protected":16},"\u003Cp> In the future of humankind, brain implants could improve our memory. Implanted magnets or RFID chips implanted in our fingers could replace passwords and keys.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",13626,"open",{"_acf_changed":16,"footnotes":64},[68,5],[83,91,544,547,972,79,973,974],377,441,517,[],[],[301,978,979],2329,3347,[981,53,116,117,118,119,120,121,122,136,144,570,573,982,132,983,984],"post-11151","tag-robotics-2","tag-video","tag-gc1",{"id":967,"alt_text":986,"caption":64,"description":64,"media_type":149,"media_details":987,"post":954,"source_url":1013},"Real life cyborgs",{"width":737,"height":988,"file":989,"sizes":990,"image_meta":1011},357,"2015\u002F05\u002Freal-life-cyborgs-cover-photo.jpg",{"medium":991,"large":994,"thumbnail":998,"medium_large":1001,"large_old_512x210":1002,"medium_old_458x188":1006},{"file":992,"width":157,"height":158,"mime-type":159,"source_url":993},"real-life-cyborgs-cover-photo-370x208.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Freal-life-cyborgs-cover-photo-370x208.jpg",{"file":995,"width":163,"height":996,"mime-type":159,"source_url":997},"real-life-cyborgs-cover-photo-768x315.jpg",315,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Freal-life-cyborgs-cover-photo-768x315.jpg",{"file":999,"width":168,"height":168,"mime-type":159,"source_url":1000},"real-life-cyborgs-cover-photo-150x150.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Freal-life-cyborgs-cover-photo-150x150.jpg",{"file":995,"width":163,"height":996,"mime-type":159,"source_url":997},{"file":1003,"width":173,"height":1004,"mime-type":159,"source_url":1005},"real-life-cyborgs-cover-photo-512x210.jpg",210,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Freal-life-cyborgs-cover-photo-512x210.jpg",{"file":1007,"width":1008,"height":1009,"mime-type":159,"source_url":1010},"real-life-cyborgs-cover-photo-458x188.jpg",458,188,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Freal-life-cyborgs-cover-photo-458x188.jpg",{"aperture":188,"credit":64,"camera":64,"caption":64,"created_timestamp":188,"copyright":64,"focal_length":188,"iso":188,"shutter_speed":188,"title":64,"orientation":188,"keywords":1012},[],"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F05\u002Freal-life-cyborgs-cover-photo.jpg",{"related_posts":16,"related_posts_footer":16,"cta_type":64,"cta_color":64,"subtitle":64,"related_books":16,"key_takeaways":1015},[1016,1018],{"title":1017},"\u003Cp>People imagine cyborgs usually as mean creatures combining some human and superhuman features in a robotic body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"title":1019},"\u003Cp>We discuss the world’s most famous real-life cyborgs who might show us positive examples of how to do it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"yoast_wpseo_title":962,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":1021,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":960},"Let’s see real-life cyborgs who can show us whether it is possible to find a balance between using technologies with our bodies and remaining human beings.",{"self":1023,"collection":1028,"about":1030,"author":1032,"replies":1034,"version-history":1037,"predecessor-version":1041,"wp:featuredmedia":1045,"wp:attachment":1048,"wp:term":1051,"curies":1062},[1024],{"href":1025,"targetHints":1026},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F11151",{"allow":1027},[27],[1029],{"href":220},[1031],{"href":223},[1033],{"embeddable":41,"href":226},[1035],{"embeddable":41,"href":1036},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=11151",[1038],{"count":1039,"href":1040},18,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F11151\u002Frevisions",[1042],{"id":1043,"href":1044},58347,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F11151\u002Frevisions\u002F58347",[1046],{"embeddable":41,"href":1047},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F13626",[1049],{"href":1050},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=11151",[1052,1054,1056,1058,1060],{"taxonomy":11,"embeddable":41,"href":1053},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=11151",{"taxonomy":248,"embeddable":41,"href":1055},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=11151",{"taxonomy":251,"embeddable":41,"href":1057},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=11151",{"taxonomy":254,"embeddable":41,"href":1059},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=11151",{"taxonomy":257,"embeddable":41,"href":1061},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=11151",[1063],{"name":39,"href":40,"templated":41},{"id":1065,"date":1066,"date_gmt":1067,"guid":1068,"modified":1070,"modified_gmt":1071,"slug":1072,"status":52,"type":53,"link":1073,"title":1074,"content":1076,"excerpt":1078,"author":61,"featured_media":1080,"comment_status":63,"ping_status":63,"sticky":41,"template":64,"format":65,"meta":1081,"categories":1082,"tags":1085,"project_category":1090,"contact_email_category":1091,"yst_prominent_words":1092,"class_list":1094,"better_featured_image":1102,"acf":1127,"yoast_meta":1141,"_links":1144},23488,"2024-09-23T11:25:02","2024-09-23T09:25:02",{"rendered":1069},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?post_id=23488&_wpnonce=dabd7cee63&status=auto-draft&type=post","2024-09-23T11:25:03","2024-09-23T09:25:03","from-human-to-cyborg","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Ffrom-human-to-cyborg",{"rendered":1075},"From Human To Cyborg: Are You Willing To Augment Your Body?",{"rendered":1077,"protected":16},"\n\u003Cp>What if you could have a heat-map vision to search through an abandoned terrain? What if you could filter out unpleasant odors of urban decay every now and then? Can you imagine hearing ultrasounds better than bats? And what about lifting 20 tons or having a third, bionic arm? With the rapid advancement of cyborg technology, the future of healthcare might not just be about being healthy, but even augmenting our bodies and “upgrading” ourselves. Where would you draw the line between being a human and a cyborg?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Superhuman traits in sight: perceiving colors as sounds\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The wish for a perfect human body with enhanced capabilities has been a dream for centuries culminating in the appearance of literary and cinematic superheroes in the collective mind. Who doesn’t want to see in the dark like Superman or lift 12-story-high buildings as Hulk does? Now, what if we tell you that a limited number of people already possess unique capabilities due to cyborg technology? \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Take the example of \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.harbisson.com\u002F\">Neil Harbisson\u003C\u002Fa>, an artist born with achromatopsia or extreme colorblindness meaning he could only see in black-and-white. At first, he received his specialized electronic eye, his “eyeborg” to be able to render perceived colors as sounds on the musical scale. He is capable of experiencing colors beyond the scope of normal human perception: \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Fartanddesign\u002F2014\u002Fmay\u002F06\u002Fneil-harbisson-worlds-first-cyborg-artist\">Amy Winehouse is red and pink, while ringtones are green\u003C\u002Fa>. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Harbisson is considered \u003Cstrong>a cyborg, which according to the usual definition, combines organic and mechanic body parts to improve a certain bodily dysfunction or enhance capabilities. Although, in a way, almost everyone augments their body, with cochlear implants, cardiac pacemakers or even contact lenses.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>However, as technological innovations in the field of medicine multiply day by day, it will be more and more usual to augment our bodies with the help of machines in a more transformative way than ever before.\u003C\u002Fstrong> Even if someone is perfectly healthy, it could make everyone faster, stronger or more sensitive to the environment. This means that the boundaries of “human-ness” will be stretched raising important ethical and philosophical questions as to what makes us human or where the boundaries of cyborgization are. Let’s look at the possible stages of body augmentation to better see the scale of potential human-machine intergrowth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"422\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002Fcyborgization-512x422.jpg\" alt=\"cyborg\" class=\"wp-image-23489\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002Fcyborgization-512x422.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002Fcyborgization-768x633.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002Fcyborgization.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: https:\u002F\u002Fhpluspedia.org\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>1) Entirely removable cyborg-extensions\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>If you are wearing contact lenses or glasses, you’re a cyborg-material with analog support. Now, imagine that your contacts could use augmented reality or measure glucose levels from tears (although \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fgoogles-amazing-digital-contact-lens-can-transform-diabetes-care\">the Google project failed\u003C\u002Fa>, this doesn’t mean it won’t be realized in the future) or you might get a pair to see in the dark. However, vision is just one element where technology can improve human imperfections and go beyond them. For example, Starkey Hearing Technologies is already working on hearing aids measuring physical activity and detecting falls. It is also working on advanced sensors, such as heart rate, as a first step towards pushing hearing aids towards the health and wellness terrain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Beyond human perception, robotic structures called exoskeletons will truly give a sense of invincibility to people by helping human beings move around and lift heavy weights – or themselves. For example, a gait-training exoskeleton suit \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F5-jaw-drapping-stories-of-digital-health-technology-saving-lives\u002F\">helped Matt Ficarra, paralyzed from the chest down, walk down the aisle\u003C\u002Fa> on his wedding day. In the future, \u003Cstrong>it is easy to imagine how soldiers, surgeons, but even warehouse workers and nurses who move around patients will use exoskeletons on a daily basis in order to extend their muscle power, stamina, and weightlifting skills. They are already \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fventurebeat.com\u002F2016\u002F01\u002F23\u002Fthis-wearable-chair-from-japan-helps-surgeons-through-long-hours-of-surgery\u002F\">helping medical professionals get through long hours of surgery\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"341\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FExoskeletons-512x341.jpg\" alt=\"cyborg\" class=\"wp-image-23490\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FExoskeletons-512x341.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FExoskeletons-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FExoskeletons.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.theverge.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>What’s the common feature of all these devices, machines and structures? They can easily be put off at the end of the day. They might turn you temporarily into a cyborgish human, but they don’t result in any kind of lasting change in relation to your body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>2) Cyborg-humans: technologies causing lasting, but not irreversible transformation\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Remember\nthe episode in the British dystopian television series, Black Mirror, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.imdb.com\u002Ftitle\u002Ftt5709234\u002F?ref_=fn_al_tt_1\">Man Against Fire\u003C\u002Fa>?\nSoldiers are exterminating mutant humans called “roaches” in a countryside\nsetting. Later, it turns out that each and every fighter has an implanted\nmicrochip which turns their targets into non-humans so it would cause them less\nmoral and psychological issue to kill. Moreover, technologies enabled soldiers\nnot to sense any smell or hear any noise associated with bloodshed – for the\nvery same reasons. While the motives behind the microchips are highly disturbing,\nthese implants bestowed these soldiers with inhuman\ncharacteristics. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>It’s completely conceivable that in the not-too-distant future, permanent, fully integrated prosthetic limbs and bionic implants will be widespread\u003C\u002Fstrong>. Even today we not only have \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ffuturism.com\u002Fnew-mind-controlled-prosthetics-poised-transform-humanity\">mind-controlled artificial limbs\u003C\u002Fa> but with tiny implanted electrodes they can even \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.wndu.com\u002Fcontent\u002Fnews\u002FBionic-prosthesis-restores-sense-of-touch-and-movement-for-amputees-483988831.html\">give back a sense of touch to an amputee\u003C\u002Fa>. Scientists are experimenting with various brain implants that \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.businessinsider.com\u002F10-brain-implant-superpowers-2014-5\">might help restore hearing for the deaf and restore sight for some blind people\u003C\u002Fa>. Rarer, but also in use, are \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedium.com\u002Fneodotlife\u002Fthe-next-brain-implant-is-a-real-live-wire-4851d1fc471f\">brain implant therapies for people paralyzed by spinal cord injury or other neurological damage\u003C\u002Fa>. A chip inserted into the brain reads off electrical signals that are translated by a computer to restore some movement and communication. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>What if we push these technologies further? Imagine that with specialized cochlear implants, people could listen to the noise around them selectively or listen in conversations from across the room while tuning out any other noise. What if mind-reading came into practice and you could even listen to someone’s thoughts after tuning in to the right radio channel emanating from the brain implant?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"288\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FBrain-Implants-512x288.jpg\" alt=\"cyborg\" class=\"wp-image-23491\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FBrain-Implants-512x288.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FBrain-Implants-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FBrain-Implants-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FBrain-Implants-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002FBrain-Implants.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.mamby.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Digital tattoos, chest patches or implanted sensors represent another strand of technologies impacting cyborgization\u003C\u002Fstrong>. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.technologyreview.com\u002Fs\u002F601064\u002Fcontrolling-diabetes-with-a-skin-patch\u002F\">Researchers have already created an electronic skin patch\u003C\u002Fa> that senses excess glucose in sweat and automatically administers drugs by heating up microneedles that penetrate the skin. However, digital tattoos might not only monitor vital signs and offer physicians insight into a patient’s health, but they could also work as car keys, entrance passwords or IDs. Extreme examples already exist: \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-worlds-most-famous-real-life-cyborgs\">Jerry Javala let doctors embed a USB port into his finger prosthesis.\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>What’s the common in brain implants, digital tattoos or patches? They cannot be removed so easily as an exoskeleton. Remember the bug in Neo’s stomach in the Matrix? He couldn’t have taken it out without help – but after some time, no lasting marks remained. In the second stage of augmentation technology interacts with the human body in a way that it already has lasting, but not irreversible impact. Although their removal might be problematic, implants, patches, and tattoos could be cut out and discarded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"196\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F09\u002FDigital-tattoo_future-512x196.jpg\" alt=\"digital tattoo\" class=\"wp-image-21725\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F09\u002FDigital-tattoo_future-512x196.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F09\u002FDigital-tattoo_future-768x293.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F09\u002FDigital-tattoo_future.jpg 870w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.emergeinteractive.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>3) Technologies changing humans forever\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Not as in the case of the third stage. Technologies meddling with the very blueprint of life, the genetic code, may change you forever and not only you but also the next generations. Gene editing technologies, such as \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fcrispr\">CRISPR\u003C\u002Fa>, bestow scientists the power to add, alter or remove parts of any creature’s DNA.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Its many potential applications include correcting\ngenetic defects, treating and preventing the spread of diseases and improving\ncrops. Research\nefforts are underway with regards to gene therapies for patients with inherited\ngenetic diseases. For example, researchers in Oxford’s Nuffield Laboratory of\nOphthalmology \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.ox.ac.uk\u002Fresearch\u002Fresearch-impact\u002Frestoring-sight-gene-therapy\">help\nrestore eyesight to patients with genetic vision defects\u003C\u002Fa>.\nOne of the methods is to inject working genes into the back of the eye. Way\nfurther down the line, it holds \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fghr.nlm.nih.gov\u002Fprimer\u002Fgenomicresearch\u002Fgenomeediting\">promise\nfor the treatment and prevention of more complex diseases\u003C\u002Fa>,\nsuch as cancer, heart disease, mental illness, and HIV. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>However, gene editing could go far beyond treating diseases. Parents could design the perfect children based on their best possible traits. Who doesn’t want a tall, strong, beautiful kid with a high IQ and empathy? \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Fscience\u002F2017\u002Fjan\u002F08\u002Fdesigner-babies-ethical-horror-waiting-to-happen\">Bioethicist Ronald Green of Dartmouth College in New Hampshire believes that\u003C\u002Fa> “we’ll start seeing the use of gene editing and reproductive technologies for enhancement: blond hair and blue eyes, improved athletic abilities, enhanced reading skills or numeracy, and so on.” \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>If a designer baby grows\u003C\u002Fstrong> up, will they be considered as a human or a result of a successful gene editing process – the ultimate cyborg with as much\u003Cstrong> enhanced human capacity as possible? Would humanity want that or allow that?\u003C\u002Fstrong> Should we use the power of gene editing on perfectly healthy humans just because we can and should we be allowed to have a say not only in the fate of the individual, but also the future generations?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"382\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FDesigner-Society-512x382.jpg\" alt=\"gene editing\" class=\"wp-image-22555\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FDesigner-Society-512x382.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FDesigner-Society-768x573.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FDesigner-Society.jpg 870w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.geneticliteracyproject.org\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>What\nwould be your boundary to stop being a human and become more of a cyborg? Where\ndo you think the red line should be drawn?\u003C\u002Fstrong> Although you might believe that the argumentation is\nway too sci-fi-like and too far away in the future, I must call your attention\nto \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fdesigner-babies-a-dystopian-sidetrack-of-gene-editing\">the Chinese scientist who edited the genes of two baby\ngirls so that they could resist future HIV infections\u003C\u002Fa>. The infants were otherwise perfectly healthy, so the\nmove might even be considered as the very first designer baby attempt. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Although the scientific community was shocked and some \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Fscience\u002F2019\u002Fmar\u002F13\u002Fscientists-call-for-global-moratorium-on-crispr-gene-editing\">called for a global moratorium on gene editing\u003C\u002Fa>, the technology is here to stay alongside digital tattoos, implants, patches, exoskeletons, and wearables. Thus, we should start bioethical and philosophical debates about what it means to be human or where we could draw the line between humans and cyborgs as we will soon encounter the problem. Sooner than we might think. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"10px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>At The Medical Futurist, we are building a community for making a bold vision about the future of healthcare reality today.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FFIbMejImnxs\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003Cp>If you’d like to support this mission, we invite you to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">join The Medical Futurist Patreon Community\u003C\u002Fa>. A community of empowered patients, future-oriented healthcare professionals, concerned health policymakers, sensible health tech developers, and enthusiastic medical students. If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our research and sustains our future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">\u003Cstrong style=\"background-color: #e71d3299; color: #000;\">Click here to support The Medical Futurist from as little as $3\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa> – it only takes a minute. Thank you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Ftbody>\n\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"rendered":1079,"protected":16},"\u003Cp>What if you could have a heat-map vision to search through an abandoned terrain? What if you could filter out unpleasant odors of urban decay every now and then? Can you imagine hearing ultrasounds better than bats? And what about lifting 20 tons or having a third, bionic arm? With the rapid advancement of technologies, the future of healthcare might not just be about being healthy, but even augmenting our bodies and “upgrading” ourselves. Where would you draw the line between being a human and a cyborg?\u003C\u002Fp>\n",23505,{"_acf_changed":16,"footnotes":64},[1083,5,1084],500,496,[545,844,75,1086,79,83,1087,1088,92,91,842,544,1089],313,639,231,1228,[],[],[110,431,1093,103,303,978,855,979,297,563],1729,[1095,53,116,117,118,119,120,1096,122,1097,571,868,128,1098,132,136,1099,1100,145,144,866,570,1101],"post-23488","category-biotechnology","category-health-sensors-trackers","tag-medicine","tag-brain-computer-interface","tag-exoskeleton","tag-artificial",{"id":1080,"alt_text":64,"caption":64,"description":64,"media_type":149,"media_details":1103,"post":1065,"source_url":17},{"width":1104,"height":1105,"file":1106,"sizes":1107,"image_meta":1125},770,433,"2019\u002F03\u002F080_cyborg-1-1.png",{"medium":1108,"large":1111,"thumbnail":1114,"medium_large":1117,"large_old_512x288":1118,"thumbnail_old_150x150":1121,"medium_old_370x208":1122,"medium_large_old_768x432":1123,"large_old_512x288_old_512x288":1124},{"file":1109,"width":157,"height":158,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1110},"080_cyborg-1-1-370x208.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002F080_cyborg-1-1-370x208.png",{"file":1112,"width":163,"height":164,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1113},"080_cyborg-1-1-768x432.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002F080_cyborg-1-1-768x432.png",{"file":1115,"width":168,"height":168,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1116},"080_cyborg-1-1-150x150.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002F080_cyborg-1-1-150x150.png",{"file":1112,"width":163,"height":164,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1113},{"file":1119,"width":173,"height":174,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1120},"080_cyborg-1-1-512x288.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F03\u002F080_cyborg-1-1-512x288.png",{"file":1115,"width":177,"height":177,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1116},{"file":1109,"width":179,"height":180,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1110},{"file":1112,"width":182,"height":183,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1113},{"file":1119,"width":185,"height":186,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1120},{"aperture":188,"credit":64,"camera":64,"caption":64,"created_timestamp":188,"copyright":64,"focal_length":188,"iso":188,"shutter_speed":188,"title":64,"orientation":188,"keywords":1126},[],{"related_posts":1128,"related_posts_footer":1131,"cta_type":64,"cta_color":64,"subtitle":64,"related_books":16,"key_takeaways":1134},[954,1129,1130],17884,22305,[1132,197,1133],21722,14216,[1135,1137,1139],{"title":1136},"\u003Cp>The merging of cyborg technology with human bodies challenges ethical boundaries, transforming healthcare from curing illness to enhancing human capabilities beyond natural limits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"title":1138},"\u003Cp>Technologies like exoskeletons and brain implants blur the line between temporary enhancements and lasting changes, pushing us to redefine what it means to be human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"title":1140},"\u003Cp>Gene editing, wearable tech, and bionic limbs offer unprecedented power to augment humanity, sparking debates on how far we should push the limits of human evolution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"yoast_wpseo_title":1142,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":1143,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":1073},"From Human To Cyborg: Are You Willing To Augment Your Body? - The Medical Futurist","Would you augment your body with cyborg technologies? Where would you draw the line between human and cyborg? Would you \"upgrade\" your skills just as a computer?",{"self":1145,"collection":1150,"about":1152,"author":1154,"replies":1156,"version-history":1159,"predecessor-version":1163,"wp:featuredmedia":1167,"wp:attachment":1170,"wp:term":1173,"curies":1184},[1146],{"href":1147,"targetHints":1148},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F23488",{"allow":1149},[27],[1151],{"href":220},[1153],{"href":223},[1155],{"embeddable":41,"href":226},[1157],{"embeddable":41,"href":1158},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=23488",[1160],{"count":1161,"href":1162},12,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F23488\u002Frevisions",[1164],{"id":1165,"href":1166},57967,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F23488\u002Frevisions\u002F57967",[1168],{"embeddable":41,"href":1169},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F23505",[1171],{"href":1172},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=23488",[1174,1176,1178,1180,1182],{"taxonomy":11,"embeddable":41,"href":1175},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=23488",{"taxonomy":248,"embeddable":41,"href":1177},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=23488",{"taxonomy":251,"embeddable":41,"href":1179},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=23488",{"taxonomy":254,"embeddable":41,"href":1181},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=23488",{"taxonomy":257,"embeddable":41,"href":1183},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=23488",[1185],{"name":39,"href":40,"templated":41},{"id":1187,"date":1188,"date_gmt":1189,"guid":1190,"modified":1192,"modified_gmt":1193,"slug":1194,"status":52,"type":53,"link":1195,"title":1196,"content":1198,"excerpt":1200,"author":232,"featured_media":1202,"comment_status":63,"ping_status":63,"sticky":41,"template":64,"format":65,"meta":1203,"categories":1204,"tags":1205,"project_category":1207,"contact_email_category":1208,"yst_prominent_words":1209,"class_list":1213,"better_featured_image":1216,"acf":1246,"yoast_meta":1254,"_links":1256},38439,"2024-08-08T09:30:00","2024-08-08T07:30:00",{"rendered":1191},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?post_id=38439&_wpnonce=58b0795b02&status=auto-draft&type=post","2024-08-08T09:11:39","2024-08-08T07:11:39","the-state-of-exoskeletons-in-healthcare","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-state-of-exoskeletons-in-healthcare",{"rendered":1197},"Exoskeletons In Healthcare: The Era Of Great Advancements",{"rendered":1199,"protected":16},"\n\u003Cp>Science fiction has for long fantasized about ways to augment fragile humans’ power and endurance through mechanical means. In \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.imdb.com\u002Ftitle\u002Ftt1631867\u002F?ref_=nv_sr_1?ref_=nv_sr_1\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cem>Edge of Tomorrow\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fa>, Tom Cruise’s abilities are enhanced via \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fallyouneediskill.fandom.com\u002Fwiki\u002FCombat_Jacket\" target=\"_blank\">a combat jacket\u003C\u002Fa>. Humans in \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.imdb.com\u002Ftitle\u002Ftt0499549\u002F?ref_=nv_sr_2?ref_=nv_sr_2\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cem>Avatar\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cem> \u003C\u002Fem>board the \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fjames-camerons-avatar.fandom.com\u002Fwiki\u002FAmplified_Mobility_Platform\" target=\"_blank\">AMP suit\u003C\u002Fa> to tread the deadly environment on Pandora. Such depictions of exoskeletons – or wearable mechanical structures that attach to joints to assist and\u002For enhance strength and endurance for motion – have left the realm of science fiction and have become part of our reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Back in 2014, a paraplegic man suited in a robotic exoskeleton \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.co.uk\u002Fnews\u002Fscience-environment-27812218\" target=\"_blank\">made the symbolic kick-off\u003C\u002Fa> for the World Cup in Brazil. In 2019, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.co.uk\u002Fnews\u002Fhealth-49907356\" target=\"_blank\">news emerged\u003C\u002Fa> of a man who could move all of his four paralyzed limbs thanks to a mind-controlled exoskeleton. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>But nothing stands as powerful a statement as the example of \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Folympics.com\u002Fen\u002Fparis-2024\u002Folympic-torch-relay\u002Ftorchbearers\u002Fkevin-piette\" target=\"_blank\">Kevin Piette\u003C\u002Fa>, a French para-athlete, who became an Olympic torchbearer wearing a self-balancing exoskeleton developed by France’s Wandercraft – a company that already \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wandercraft.eu\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">has regulatory-approved robotic structures\u003C\u002Fa>. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Kevin piette wondercraft exoskeleton used in Olympic torch relay🔥\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002Fdf_1p5u8IMo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Although we have seen significant advances in the past decade, the exoskeleton market is still gaining steam, with models even targeted at the general consumer and healthcare workers. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, exoskeletons started finding their place in healthcare systems. In 2023 ReWalk (now called Lifeward) \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.therobotreport.com\u002Frewalk-robotics-announces-solidified-medicare-coverage-for-personal-exoskeleton\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">announced\u003C\u002Fa> that Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized a rule for reinbursing their exoskeleton technology, which was followed by another similar announcement \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fir.eksobionics.com\u002Fpress-releases\u002Fdetail\u002F756\u002Fekso-bionics-receives-final-payment-determination-for\" target=\"_blank\">from Ekso Bionics\u003C\u002Fa>. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>We can expect further announcements to come, as there are over a dozen \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.accessdata.fda.gov\u002Fscripts\u002Fcdrh\u002Fcfdocs\u002FcfTPLC\u002Ftplc.cfm?id=PHL&min_report_year=2009\" target=\"_blank\">approved exoskeletons\u003C\u002Fa> on the FDA’s list. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>So let’s take a closer look at where those once sci-fi robotic structures stand today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Exoskeletons’ assistance in healthcare\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Robotic assistants are \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F8-exciting-medical-robot-facts\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">no stranger in healthcare\u003C\u002Fa>, but while they are also robotic structures, exoskeletons provide a different type of assistance. Rather than move around independently to \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fspectrum.ieee.org\u002Fautomaton\u002Frobotics\u002Fmedical-robots\u002Fautonomous-robots-are-helping-kill-coronavirus-in-hospitals\" target=\"_blank\">clean surfaces\u003C\u002Fa> or \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Faethon.com\u002Fhospital-robots-healthcare\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">handle deliveries\u003C\u002Fa>, exoskeletons wrap around the user’s limbs to support them physically. This offers tremendous assistance to those with disabled limbs, and rehabilitation is where exoskeletons initially made much progress in healthcare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>California-based \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Feksobionics.com\u002Feksohealth\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Ekso Bionics\u003C\u002Fa> is one of the best-known companies that develop bionic suits to provide power to the upper and lower body of patients with spinal cord injury, stroke, and acquired brain injuries. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“It is really interesting that we had over 3000 different individuals in our database in less than 2 years,” Russ Angold, Chief Technology Officer of Ekso Bionics, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fexoskeleton-technology\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">told The Medical Futurist\u003C\u002Fa>. “The device is helping a lot of people who otherwise could not work, or their therapy would take a long time. Our job is giving them the technology that allows them to stay healthy and live a full life.” \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"615\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F02\u002Fekso-bionics-exoskeleton-4-768x615.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38459\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F02\u002Fekso-bionics-exoskeleton-4-768x615.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F02\u002Fekso-bionics-exoskeleton-4.jpg 961w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: https:\u002F\u002Feksobionics.com\u002F\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\u003Cp>Working along the same vein is \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Frewalk.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">LifeWard\u003C\u002Fa> (formerly called ReWalk). Dr. Amit Goffer, a quadriplegic himself, founded the company as he wanted to help individuals with lower-limb paralysis to walk again. Their ReWalk Personal System \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fgolifeward.com\u002Fproducts\u002Frewalkpersonal-exoskeleton\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">received FDA clearance in 2014\u003C\u002Fa> for at-home or community use.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Throughout the years, other exoskeleton manufacturer’s products like the \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fspectrum.ieee.org\u002Fcyberdynes-medical-exoskeleton-strides-to-fda-approval\" target=\"_blank\">HAL from Cyberdyne\u003C\u002Fa> and \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.suitx.com\u002Fphoenix-medical-exoskeleton#:~:text=PHOENIX%20Medical%20Exoskeleton&text=Phoenix%20has%20only%20two%20actuators,been%20approved%20by%20the%20FDA.\" target=\"_blank\">SuitX’s Phoenix\u003C\u002Fa> received FDA approvals of their own. Clinical trials for Wandercraft’s Atalante exoskeleton began in 2017 and \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.therobotreport.com\u002Fexoskeleton-developer-wandercraft-raised-45m-in-funding\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">received the CE mark in 2019\u003C\u002Fa>. With more options for patients with limb impairments getting approved by healthcare authorities and becoming available, the market is steadily growing and is also pivoting towards other demographics. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Interesting new development directions are also present. A \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ftechxplore.com\u002Fnews\u002F2023-11-wearable-robot-people.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wearable robot\u003C\u002Fa> developed by researchers at Chung-Ang University in South Korea targets the frontal plane, emphasizing hip abduction to improve lateral stability and balance. What makes this wearable robot particularly special is its focus on enhancing walking efficiency by helping lateral movements, which are crucial for maintaining balance and stability. This design not only improves gait efficiency but also offers the potential for broader applications, such as supporting older adults and patients recovering from leg or hip surgeries in their daily activities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Marching into a growing industry\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>While still relatively niche, the exoskeleton market has expanded in recent years. The Exoskeleton Report last \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fexoskeletonreport.com\u002F2021\u002F12\u002Fupdated-directory-of-exoskeleton-companies-and-industry-statistics\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">updated its report in 2021\u003C\u002Fa>, which listed 118 companies worldwide working on 172 exoskeletons that were on sale or soon to be commercialised. Their directory listed 67 medical exoskeleton companies in 2024, some \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fglobal.toyota\u002Fen\u002Fnewsroom\u002Fcorporate\u002F30609584.html?_ga=2.42558818.672635075.1578376035-1427653775.1578376035\" target=\"_blank\">definitely surprising\u003C\u002Fa>. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"430\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F02\u002Fexoskeleton-directory-768x430.jpg\" alt=\"exoskeletons\" class=\"wp-image-38461\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F02\u002Fexoskeleton-directory-768x430.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F02\u002Fexoskeleton-directory-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F02\u002Fexoskeleton-directory-1536x860.jpg 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F02\u002Fexoskeleton-directory.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>There have been further signs of the industry’s maturity recently. Earlier this year, Paris-based exoskeleton developer Wandercraft \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.therobotreport.com\u002Fexoskeleton-developer-wandercraft-raised-45m-in-funding\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">raised €25 million in financing from EIB\u003C\u002Fa>; following a €40 million C-round two years ago, showing a keen interest from investors. Ottobock, a developer of prosthetics and exoskeletons, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.therobotreport.com\u002Fottobock-acquiring-fellow-exoskeleton-maker-suitx\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">acquired SuitX\u003C\u002Fa>, a fellow exoskeleton maker, in late 2021. While it was not the first acquisition of its kind, it showed that the work of smaller companies is being recognized by larger ones, which find potential in their technology.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Indeed, it seems that the exoskeleton will not be available only for therapeutic purposes but will also expand to other markets. Browsing the pages of the Exoskeleton Report, you’ll find over a hundred models \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fexoskeletonreport.com\u002Fproduct-category\u002Fexoskeleton-catalog\u002Findustrial\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">designed for industrial use\u003C\u002Fa>, listing 65 different products for back support only! This is because, in addition to assisting in rehabilitation, exoskeletons can well be applied for injury prevention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Preventive equipment to limit worker injury and fatigue\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Indeed, beyond rehabilitation, a trend seems to be forming to equip workers with exoskeletons. A small-scale pilot experience of about 40 exosuit-assisted workers \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Friskandinsurance.com\u002F5-exoskeleton-and-exosuit-highlights-from-2021-that-provide-insight-on-what-to-expect-this-year\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">found promising results\u003C\u002Fa>. Those workers reported that the exoskeletons provided a reduction of 73% in lower back discomfort, and lowered work effort by 30%. Moreover, 80% felt that these mechanical add-ons could prevent injuries of the lower back. With \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ehstoday.com\u002Fehs-outloud-blog\u002Farticle\u002F21213854\u002Fwhile-exoskeletons-reduce-injury-can-workers-handle-the-additional-cognitive-demands\" target=\"_blank\">some $100 billion in medical bills\u003C\u002Fa> attributed to worker injuries in the U. S., it makes sense for employers to explore new methods to assist workers and limit healthcare hazards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>With this in mind, companies are developing exoskeleton solutions to assist workers and prevent injury. For example, the exoskeletons from German Bionic allow a worker to easily carry around weights of up to 36 kg, while they also help prevent common lifting injuries. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>This approach also applies to the healthcare setting, given the association of long working hours. “With back pain being the cause of one in every four medical leaves in Japan, some of the largest hospitals and manufacturers now use our \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.archelis.com\u002Fen\u002Fproduct-medical\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Archelis suits\u003C\u002Fa> as a form of PPE, or personal protective equipment,” \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.inputmag.com\u002Ftech\u002Farchelis-exoskeleton-makes-working-on-your-feet-as-easy-as-sitting\" target=\"_blank\">said Hideyuki Fujisawa\u003C\u002Fa>, CEO of Japanese exoskeleton startup Archelis. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>The extra weight of robotic add-ons\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>While the exoskeleton market is maturing, there are still hurdles that developers of that equipment must overcome before achieving wider adoption. For one, the cost of exoskeletons can be a barrier to entry; like Wandercraft’s Atalante exoskeleton, which \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Forthexo.de\u002Fen\u002Fexoskeletons\u002Frehab-and-aids-2\u002Fwandercraft\u002F#:~:text=The%20retail%20price%20is%20220%2C000,FDA%20approval%20and%20CE%20marking.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">amounts to around €220,000\u003C\u002Fa>. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Then there’s the weight of the device itself which could be a hindrance. German Bionic’s apogee comes in the form of \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.thedailybeast.com\u002Fcould-the-apogee-exoskeleton-save-a-workers-life\" target=\"_blank\">an 8kg backpack\u003C\u002Fa>, which might not be totally comfortable to wear all day long. They also need charging; meaning the workplace will need additional batteries or exoskeletons as substitutes when the batteries need recharging.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Given the novelty of such devices, there might be unforeseen challenges as well \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.sciencedaily.com\u002Freleases\u002F2021\u002F10\u002F211028120351.htm\" target=\"_blank\">as new research has found\u003C\u002Fa>. Researchers investigated the neurocognitive ‘cost’ to exoskeleton users, and concluded that the exoskeleton’s advantages were offset when a user was tasked with a cognitively-demanding task. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“While exoskeletons hold great promise in alleviating physical loads in the workplace, these findings can guide the development of decision support tools for ergonomists to determine when\u002Fhow and during what tasks exoskeletons should be used on the factory floor to maximise worker safety,” \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.sciencedaily.com\u002Freleases\u002F2021\u002F10\u002F211028120351.htm\" target=\"_blank\">the researchers said\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Will exoskeletons be our next wearable?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Nevertheless, some of these challenges are being taken into consideration already. For example, the Archelis suits \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.inputmag.com\u002Ftech\u002Farchelis-exoskeleton-makes-working-on-your-feet-as-easy-as-sitting\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">do not rely on electricity\u003C\u002Fa> and are thus lighter and do not need recharging. Tokyo-based \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Finnophys.net\u002Fmusclesuit\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Innophys\u003C\u002Fa> has also deployed non-powered exoskeletons to assist workers with minimal hindrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>For battery-powered models, a battery hot-swap feature would help alleviate the hindrances of depleted batteries. The now retired Cray X from Bionic had such a feature. “You can pull out the [spent battery] for a new one, place the old one on the charger […] and then you can just move on,” Marius Kiss, Head of Mechanical R&D at German Bionic, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.engadget.com\u002Fgerman-bionic-cray-x-5th-gen-exoskeleton-connectivity-future-of-robotics-140023476.html\" target=\"_blank\">told \u003Cem>Engadget\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fa>. “You could potentially work like eight hours without having to take off the exoskeleton.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As for the cost, with a larger production scale, it will go down with time. Wandercraft is working on an at-home exoskeleton, which it \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Femag.medicalexpo.com\u002Fmaking-strides-the-atalante-exoskeleton-is-getting-personal\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">expects to cost much less\u003C\u002Fa> than their clinical models. “They will also be cheaper because, unlike the rehabilitation version, they will be individualized,” explained Jean-Louis Constanza, Wandercaft’s Chief Business and Clinical Officer. “Exoskeletons used in hospitals have to be fully adjustable for an array of sizes.” This video from 2021 also features Kevin Piette, who, by the way, works for the company as an exoskeleton pilot, helping with product development and testing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Atalante : Early stage standing and overground walking\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FoDzJmiFNa7w?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>So does this mean that in the future, we can expect to see exoskeletons become as common as our current wearables? Eric Eitel, German Bionic’s Head of Communications, surely thinks so. “I really see everyone on the street wearing an exoskeleton in one form or another,” \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.engadget.com\u002Fgerman-bionic-cray-x-5th-gen-exoskeleton-connectivity-future-of-robotics-140023476.html\" target=\"_blank\">Eitel said\u003C\u002Fa>. “But I think that the exoskeletons that we are looking for in the future are the active ones. I see them being a lot slimmer, smarter, and connected.” \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>He might be onto something since Hong Kong startup Enhanced Robotics had its Kickstarter campaign funded and promised to bring \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.innovationintextiles.com\u002Fconsumer-desire-for-portable-exoskeleton\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">its consumer-oriented exoskeleton \u003C\u002Fa>to the market. Weighing 2.5kg, it was supposed to assist wearers in their fitness activities whether it’s for walking or strength training – but based \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.kickstarter.com\u002Fprojects\u002F1485648715\u002Fworlds-first-exoskeleton-for-consumers-sportsmate5\u002Fcomments\" target=\"_blank\">on the angry comments from their backers on Kickstarter\u003C\u002Fa>, the project is not going as promised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>But as we’ve seen there are over 200 devices in the product catalog of Exoskeleton report, with many companies being in business for over a decade now. Maybe this is the beginning of our exoskeleton-powered future…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>Written by Dr. Bertalan Meskó & Dr. Pranavsingh Dhunnoo\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"10px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>At The Medical Futurist, we are building a community for making a bold vision about the future of healthcare reality today.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FFIbMejImnxs\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003Cp>If you’d like to support this mission, we invite you to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">join The Medical Futurist Patreon Community\u003C\u002Fa>. A community of empowered patients, future-oriented healthcare professionals, concerned health policymakers, sensible health tech developers, and enthusiastic medical students. If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our research and sustains our future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">\u003Cstrong style=\"background-color: #e71d3299; color: #000;\">Click here to support The Medical Futurist from as little as $3\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa> – it only takes a minute. Thank you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Ftbody>\n\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"rendered":1201,"protected":16},"\u003Cp>With over a dozen FDA approved exoskeletons and 84 existing medical products on the market we must prepare for great advancements in this segment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",25227,{"_acf_changed":16,"footnotes":64},[5,426,173],[1088,972,1206],1527,[],[],[101,103,1210,1211,1212],3423,3605,1683,[1214,53,116,117,118,119,120,122,440,308,1100,982,1215],"post-38439","tag-exoskeleton-technology",{"id":1202,"alt_text":1217,"caption":64,"description":1218,"media_type":149,"media_details":1219,"post":1244,"source_url":1245},"tmf_exoskeleton technology","TMF",{"width":325,"height":326,"file":1220,"sizes":1221,"image_meta":1242},"2019\u002F10\u002F119_The-state-and-promise-of-exoskeletons-1.png",{"medium":1222,"large":1225,"thumbnail":1228,"medium_large":1231,"1536x1536":1232,"large_old_512x288":1235,"thumbnail_old_150x150":1238,"medium_old_370x208":1239,"medium_large_old_768x432":1240,"large_old_512x288_old_512x288":1241},{"file":1223,"width":157,"height":158,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1224},"119_The-state-and-promise-of-exoskeletons-1-370x208.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F10\u002F119_The-state-and-promise-of-exoskeletons-1-370x208.png",{"file":1226,"width":163,"height":164,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1227},"119_The-state-and-promise-of-exoskeletons-1-768x432.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F10\u002F119_The-state-and-promise-of-exoskeletons-1-768x432.png",{"file":1229,"width":168,"height":168,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1230},"119_The-state-and-promise-of-exoskeletons-1-150x150.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F10\u002F119_The-state-and-promise-of-exoskeletons-1-150x150.png",{"file":1226,"width":163,"height":164,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1227},{"file":1233,"width":464,"height":465,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1234},"119_The-state-and-promise-of-exoskeletons-1-1536x864.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F10\u002F119_The-state-and-promise-of-exoskeletons-1-1536x864.png",{"file":1236,"width":173,"height":174,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1237},"119_The-state-and-promise-of-exoskeletons-1-512x288.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F10\u002F119_The-state-and-promise-of-exoskeletons-1-512x288.png",{"file":1229,"width":177,"height":177,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1230},{"file":1223,"width":179,"height":180,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1224},{"file":1226,"width":182,"height":183,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1227},{"file":1236,"width":185,"height":186,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1237},{"aperture":188,"credit":64,"camera":64,"caption":64,"created_timestamp":188,"copyright":64,"focal_length":188,"iso":188,"shutter_speed":188,"title":64,"orientation":188,"keywords":1243},[],25221,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F10\u002F119_The-state-and-promise-of-exoskeletons-1.png",{"cta_type":348,"cta_color":64,"subtitle":64,"related_books":1247,"related_posts_footer":1250,"related_posts":16,"key_takeaways":16},[1248,1249,768],55605,47427,[1251,1252,1253],57079,57249,9687,{"yoast_wpseo_title":1197,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":1255,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":1195},"With over a dozen FDA-approved exoskeletons and 84 existing medical products, we must prepare for great advancements in healthcare exoskeletons",{"self":1257,"collection":1262,"about":1264,"author":1266,"replies":1268,"version-history":1271,"predecessor-version":1275,"wp:featuredmedia":1279,"wp:attachment":1282,"wp:term":1285,"curies":1296},[1258],{"href":1259,"targetHints":1260},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F38439",{"allow":1261},[27],[1263],{"href":220},[1265],{"href":223},[1267],{"embeddable":41,"href":492},[1269],{"embeddable":41,"href":1270},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=38439",[1272],{"count":1273,"href":1274},39,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F38439\u002Frevisions",[1276],{"id":1277,"href":1278},57411,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F38439\u002Frevisions\u002F57411",[1280],{"embeddable":41,"href":1281},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F25227",[1283],{"href":1284},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=38439",[1286,1288,1290,1292,1294],{"taxonomy":11,"embeddable":41,"href":1287},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=38439",{"taxonomy":248,"embeddable":41,"href":1289},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=38439",{"taxonomy":251,"embeddable":41,"href":1291},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=38439",{"taxonomy":254,"embeddable":41,"href":1293},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=38439",{"taxonomy":257,"embeddable":41,"href":1295},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=38439",[1297],{"name":39,"href":40,"templated":41},{"id":1299,"date":1300,"date_gmt":1301,"guid":1302,"modified":1304,"modified_gmt":1305,"slug":1306,"status":52,"type":53,"link":1307,"title":1308,"content":1310,"excerpt":1312,"author":61,"featured_media":1314,"comment_status":63,"ping_status":63,"sticky":41,"template":64,"format":65,"meta":1315,"categories":1316,"tags":1318,"project_category":1324,"contact_email_category":1326,"yst_prominent_words":1327,"class_list":1332,"better_featured_image":1341,"acf":1365,"yoast_meta":1371,"_links":1374},40839,"2024-03-18T22:34:00","2024-03-18T21:34:00",{"rendered":1303},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?post_id=40839&_wpnonce=9f039c0873&status=auto-draft&type=post","2024-06-02T18:39:45","2024-06-02T16:39:45","social-robots-are-robotic-pets-any-worse-than-the-real-ones","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fsocial-robots-are-robotic-pets-any-worse-than-the-real-ones",{"rendered":1309},"Social Companion Robots: Are Robotic Pets Any Worse Than The Real Ones?",{"rendered":1311,"protected":16},"\n\u003Cp>Social \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-top-12-social-companion-robots\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">companion robots\u003C\u002Fa> are getting increasingly popular, more widely used and accepted. This might have happened anyway, but the pandemic accelerated the pace of their “deployment”.  Not so surprising, many social workers have experienced that COVID restrictions took a huge toll on elderly people living alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The loneliness of the ageing population is a known phenomenon. A vast amount of research has found that a significant percentage of people above 65 are \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.msdmanuals.com\u002Fprofessional\u002Fgeriatrics\u002Fsocial-issues-in-older-adults\u002Folder-adults-living-alone\" target=\"_blank\">living alone\u003C\u002Fa>, and many of them feel lonely and isolated. Also well proven is the fact that loneliness alone is a \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.news-medical.net\u002Fhealth\u002FWhat-are-the-Health-Effects-of-Loneliness.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">health risk\u003C\u002Fa>. Elevated cortisol levels, the physical symptoms caused by the mental strain resulting in more inflammatory diseases, declined immune functions, elevated cardiovascular risks increase mortality as much as would smoking, the lack of exercise or severe obesity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>How to tackle this problem when all social interactions were more or less banned, or at least advised against? Many of the social workers tried to find an answer to this dilemma. Some of them came up with the idea of distributing some kind of robotic companion among their patients. In fact, there were quite a number of initiatives along these lines around the world these past years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"466\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F03\u002FJoy-for-all-tabby-robot-cat-768x466.png\" alt=\"Joy or all robot pet\" class=\"wp-image-40841\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F03\u002FJoy-for-all-tabby-robot-cat-768x466.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F03\u002FJoy-for-all-tabby-robot-cat-1536x933.png 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F03\u002FJoy-for-all-tabby-robot-cat.png 1779w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tabby cat from Joy for all\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>We have seen the NY programs giving out \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.govtech.com\u002Fhealth\u002Fyonkers-aging-office-uses-robopets-to-combat-senior-isolation\" target=\"_blank\">Joy for all robot pets\u003C\u002Fa> to people living alone, Canada experimenting with \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\u002Fpmc\u002Farticles\u002FPMC8808201\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">robot-comrades\u003C\u002Fa> since the 2016 introduction of \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cbc.ca\u002Fnews\u002Fcanada\u002Ftoronto\u002Frobot-alzheimers-1.3696249\" target=\"_blank\">Ludwig\u003C\u002Fa>, and some elderly care facilities in Ireland introducing \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.irishtimes.com\u002Fbusiness\u002Finnovation\u002Fthe-irish-robot-helping-older-people-live-independently-1.4628719\" target=\"_blank\">Stevie\u003C\u002Fa> to their residents. And we could go on and on with the examples of social robots involved in elderly care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>How good is it to have a social robot for your mental health?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The first thing that most likely comes into your mind is that humans need humans to connect with. Trying to substitute personal relationships with a mechanic creature with some form of artificial intelligence must be not right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Surprisingly though, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Facademic.oup.com\u002Finnovateage\u002Farticle\u002F5\u002FSupplement_1\u002F41\u002F6464889\" target=\"_blank\">research\u003C\u002Fa> after \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Flink.springer.com\u002Farticle\u002F10.1007\u002Fs11370-021-00394-3\" target=\"_blank\">research\u003C\u002Fa> finds the same thing: a vast number of lonely people with furry robotic pets, or smiling bulky robotic chat partners consistently report an improvement in their well-being. They understand that the companion is a robot, but find their presence relaxing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>This raises some interesting questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>But hey, companion robots are just fake!\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Not surprisingly there are several distinctly different lines of thought about the topic of how to relate to social robots. It ranges from flat-out refusal to optimistic acceptance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The negative attitude is easy to understand. This is just not real. Robotic pets are not real pets, robotic chat partners are not chat partners, robotic companions are fake. And everyone trying to ease the hardships of lonely ageing people with robots is just trying to get out of society’s responsibility of taking good care of the generation of our grandparents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>If we look at the topic from this angle – many argue – it is painfully obvious how developed (and ageing) societies fail to maintain the necessary interaction among the generations, and how they let down old people living alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F03\u002FStevie-helping-an-elderly-patient-768x432.jpg\" alt=\"Stevie the robot helps an elderly patient\" class=\"wp-image-40845\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F03\u002FStevie-helping-an-elderly-patient-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F03\u002FStevie-helping-an-elderly-patient-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F03\u002FStevie-helping-an-elderly-patient.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Stevie helps an elderly patient in Ireland\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Are companion robots so much different from pet companions?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>But there is another way to look at this, and this is very inspiringly discussed in Kate Darling’s book, the \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.amazon.com\u002FNew-Breed-History-Animals-Reveals\u002Fdp\u002F1250296102\" target=\"_blank\">New Breed\u003C\u002Fa>. Among other topics, the book suggests we could examine our relationship with robots in the light of our relationship with pets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The argument is clear, and for me, convincing. It says that when we look at elderly people having animal companions (real ones this time), it is obvious that they are not humans, and cannot provide the same kind of connectedness a human relationship does. Despite this, it is also clear that having a beloved pet does good for elderly people. It improves the quality of their lives, and no one ever would think about suggesting to take them away on the basis that they are not the real thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>We are not worried about pets replacing future human relationships, we see them as supplemental. We might anthropomorphize our pets to some extent, and we may also do the same to our robot companions, but we will never mistake them for a real human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>You could of course argue that real pets are real, and robotic pets are not real. That is true. But for a large number of seniors, having a real pet is not an option. They might have limited mobility, not allowing them to take a dog outside multiple times a day, or clean the cat’s litter box. Maybe they cannot take the responsibility or the financial burden of a living animal. But they do enjoy the furry, realistic-looking creature being around, reacting to their daily routine and offering them interactions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>We can look at it as very sad. Or we can look at social robots as many robot pet owners do: with joy for making days less lonely, less depressing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Companion \u003Cstrong>Robots can assist some children therapies better than pets or humans\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Another great example the book cites is that of children involved in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) therapy. Many affected kids have serious difficulty in maintaining human interactions, a facet of the problem therapies aim to remedy. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>A lot of these ASD therapies are repetitive, and involve constantly telling the kids what they do wrong. Scarz lab came up with the idea of using Ellie, a robot head, repeatedly making social mistakes. Instead of an adult telling the kids what they do wrong, the kids are to teach Ellie what she should do, offering a different way to master the skills they need to practise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F03\u002FRobot-and-child-together-768x315.jpg\" alt=\"robot and child\" class=\"wp-image-40843\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F03\u002FRobot-and-child-together-768x315.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F03\u002FRobot-and-child-together.jpg 1268w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Robots may assist children in therapies in ways humans cannot\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Ellie will make a number of social mistakes, like avoiding eye contact, interrupting the one speaking and so on. The kids are to correct the way Ellie behaves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>This obviously could not be done with animal therapy: no animal would be able to model these social situations. And maybe not so surprisingly, it also cannot be done involving humans. The researchers tried to do that, they invited friendly actors to make mistakes, and asked the kids to help them. But the same children who were happy to interact with Ellie refused to interact with a nice lady. They saw through the situation and were too deterred to interact with a real person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As adding animals to a number of therapies provided benefits human therapists could not achieve, the same seems to be true for adding robots to some therapies: they can provide assistance neither humans nor pets can offer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"rendered":1313,"protected":16},"\u003Cp>As adding animals to a number of therapies provided benefits human therapists could not achieve, the same seems to be true for adding robots to some therapies: they can provide assistance neither humans nor pets can offer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",40893,{"_acf_changed":16,"footnotes":64},[280,1317,5,173,281],504,[1319,1320,1321,1322,1323],7537,1042,1055,6541,7535,[558,294,1325],952,[],[113,1328,1329,1330,1331],2191,2373,2387,2407,[1333,53,116,117,118,119,120,307,1334,122,308,309,1335,1336,1337,1338,1339,583,320,1340],"post-40839","category-artificial-intelligence","tag-robot-pets","tag-social-companion-robot","tag-elderly-care","tag-social-robots","tag-therapeutic-robots","project_category-policy-makers",{"id":1314,"alt_text":1342,"caption":64,"description":1343,"media_type":149,"media_details":1344,"post":1299,"source_url":1364},"social robots companion","social robots, social companions, A.I. artificial intelligence",{"width":325,"height":326,"file":1345,"sizes":1346,"image_meta":1363},"2022\u002F03\u002Ftmf_social-robots.png",{"medium":1347,"large":1350,"thumbnail":1353,"medium_large":1356,"1536x1536":1357,"2048x2048":1360},{"file":1348,"width":179,"height":180,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1349},"tmf_social-robots-370x208.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F03\u002Ftmf_social-robots-370x208.png",{"file":1351,"width":182,"height":183,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1352},"tmf_social-robots-768x432.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F03\u002Ftmf_social-robots-768x432.png",{"file":1354,"width":177,"height":177,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1355},"tmf_social-robots-150x150.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F03\u002Ftmf_social-robots-150x150.png",{"file":1351,"width":182,"height":183,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1352},{"file":1358,"width":342,"height":343,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1359},"tmf_social-robots-1536x864.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F03\u002Ftmf_social-robots-1536x864.png",{"file":1361,"width":605,"height":606,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1362},"tmf_social-robots-2048x1152.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F03\u002Ftmf_social-robots-2048x1152.png",{"aperture":188,"credit":64,"camera":64,"caption":64,"created_timestamp":188,"copyright":64,"focal_length":188,"iso":188,"shutter_speed":188,"title":64,"orientation":188},"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F03\u002Ftmf_social-robots.png",{"cta_type":348,"cta_color":64,"subtitle":64,"related_books":1366,"related_posts_footer":1367,"related_posts":16,"key_takeaways":16},[350,768],[1368,1369,1370],14445,13109,14229,{"yoast_wpseo_title":1372,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":1373,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":1307},"Social Companion Robots: Robotic pets are not real pets","What do companion robots do? Adding social robots to some therapies: and healthcare situations can provide assistance neither humans nor pets can offer.",{"self":1375,"collection":1380,"about":1382,"author":1384,"replies":1386,"version-history":1389,"predecessor-version":1392,"wp:featuredmedia":1396,"wp:attachment":1399,"wp:term":1402,"curies":1413},[1376],{"href":1377,"targetHints":1378},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F40839",{"allow":1379},[27],[1381],{"href":220},[1383],{"href":223},[1385],{"embeddable":41,"href":226},[1387],{"embeddable":41,"href":1388},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=40839",[1390],{"count":232,"href":1391},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F40839\u002Frevisions",[1393],{"id":1394,"href":1395},56365,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F40839\u002Frevisions\u002F56365",[1397],{"embeddable":41,"href":1398},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F40893",[1400],{"href":1401},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=40839",[1403,1405,1407,1409,1411],{"taxonomy":11,"embeddable":41,"href":1404},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=40839",{"taxonomy":248,"embeddable":41,"href":1406},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=40839",{"taxonomy":251,"embeddable":41,"href":1408},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=40839",{"taxonomy":254,"embeddable":41,"href":1410},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=40839",{"taxonomy":257,"embeddable":41,"href":1412},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=40839",[1414],{"name":39,"href":40,"templated":41},{"id":1416,"date":1417,"date_gmt":1418,"guid":1419,"modified":1421,"modified_gmt":1422,"slug":1423,"status":52,"type":53,"link":1424,"title":1425,"content":1427,"excerpt":1429,"author":61,"featured_media":1431,"comment_status":63,"ping_status":63,"sticky":41,"template":64,"format":65,"meta":1432,"categories":1433,"tags":1440,"project_category":1444,"contact_email_category":1445,"yst_prominent_words":1446,"class_list":1450,"better_featured_image":1461,"acf":1482,"yoast_meta":1496,"_links":1498},32197,"2023-11-21T10:00:00","2023-11-21T09:00:00",{"rendered":1420},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?post_id=32197&_wpnonce=33632050e7&status=auto-draft&type=post","2023-11-23T11:57:25","2023-11-23T10:57:25","superhumans","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fsuperhumans",{"rendered":1426},"Will We All Have To Become Biologically Enhanced Superhumans?",{"rendered":1428,"protected":16},"\n\u003Cp>Okay, hands up who can tell who’s the most famous biologically enhanced superhuman in the world? True, it’s a quite close call between Captain America and The Incredible Hulk (sorry Spidey, you’re not even close). But are human-invented superhumans just a thing of a \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FStan_Lee\" target=\"_blank\">Stan Lee comic\u003C\u002Fa>, or is it an actual scientific idea from a real laboratory?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As a matter of fact, enhancing human capabilities has been on the minds of people for ages, but it has come a long way from ancient training methods to exoskeletons. Enhancing our abilities, be it permanently or temporarily is a tempting but risky matter. Will it be possible in the not-too-far future to gear up superhuman powers so we don’t lag behind the others? Let’s dive in and see how (and if) we can be our better selves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F09\u002FSuperhero.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21851\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F09\u002FSuperhero.png 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F09\u002FSuperhero-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F09\u002FSuperhero-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F09\u002FSuperhero-512x288.png 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Superhuman – with the help of technology\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A brief history of human enhancement\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>First, we need to ask what ‘enhancement’ exactly is. Throughout history, the enhancement of humans by various tools from physical addendums (remember \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.primaryancientgreeks.com\u002Fcontent\u002Fdaidalos-ikaros\" target=\"_blank\">Icaros\u003C\u002Fa>?) to drugs (from ferocious Viking “\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.historyextra.com\u002Fperiod\u002Fviking\u002Fthe-truth-about-viking-berserkers\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">berserkers\u003C\u002Fa>” to the Nazi army or East German swimmers – or many of the cyclists still today), or even love (just google ‘\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FSacred_Band_of_Thebes\" target=\"_blank\">Sacred Band of Thebes\u003C\u002Fa>’) have been on the minds of leaders, military chiefs or inventors alike. Or \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fwatch?v=bxiKqA-u8y4&ab_channel=TheSchoolofLife\" target=\"_blank\">philosophers\u003C\u002Fa>, as a matter of fact. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The urge to live forever has not passed with our predecessors, let’s take a look at Bryan Johnson’s Blueprint project with its straightforward goal: \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fprotocol.bryanjohnson.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">don’t die\u003C\u002Fa>. Granted, most of us don’t have 30 doctors and \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bloomberg.com\u002Fnews\u002Ffeatures\u002F2023-01-25\u002Fanti-aging-techniques-taken-to-extreme-by-bryan-johnson?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTY3NDc1MjE5MiwiZXhwIjoxNjc1MzU2OTkyLCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJSUDFGV0xEV1JHRzQwMSIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiJFNUUzM0M0NzlCOTA0MjU2OTRGRTU1NTg5OTQ4N0FBOSJ9.cWlkQxMxDlCY3A2nkIt6Fy2fciMLM0nsY8uS2T7Vhug&sref=nPlhheXZ\" target=\"_blank\">millions of dollars\u003C\u002Fa> to spend on enhancing ourselves in all possible ways. On top of that, I feel a slight contrast between his efforts and the initiative to sell extra virgin olive oil as the omnipotent elixir to the less fortunate. But we can’t deny he has gone the extra mile in every possible way to make the most of what money and science offer today and I truly appreciate the dedication here. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>However, biological enhancement is a much deeper issue.  \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The dawn of digital health brought an era of technological advancements and within, the recreation of the human body or body parts or -functions came within reach. It started as a restoration of a certain human function, like \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.asrs.org\u002Fretina-times\u002Fdetails\u002F131\u002Ffda-approves-world-first-artificial-retina\" target=\"_blank\">eyesight\u003C\u002Fa> or \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.uclhospitals.brc.nihr.ac.uk\u002Fresearch\u002Fprogrammes\u002Fdeafness-hearing-problems\" target=\"_blank\">hearing\u003C\u002Fa>, or the replacement of a missing limb. Technologies like CRISPR gene editing, nanotechnology and even the revolution of wearables and sensors brought new possibilities in human enhancement, and although longevity is still far away for many, living longer and possibly healthier is a de facto case for the human race. (That is, if we survive the climate catastrophe we created.) \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The science of it also has a philosophical backing called \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FTranshumanism\" target=\"_blank\">transhumanism\u003C\u002Fa>; a movement that “\u003Cem>advocates the enhancement of the human condition by developing and making widely available sophisticated technologies that can greatly enhance longevity and cognition.\u003C\u002Fem>” The concept states that humankind will evolve into a new intelligent species. That is yet to be seen, however: current affairs indicate no such evolution. But \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.com\u002Fnews\u002Fuk-scotland-49893869\" target=\"_blank\">transhumanists\u003C\u002Fa> live and\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.forbes.com\u002Fsites\u002Fcalumchace\u002F2023\u002F02\u002F01\u002Fpioneering-transhumanism-a-conversation-with-natasha-vita-more\u002F\" target=\"_blank\"> strive among us\u003C\u002Fa>. And sometimes episodes of the series \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-future-of-our-brains-health-in-black-mirror\" target=\"_blank\">Black Mirror\u003C\u002Fa> have more links to reality than we wish. To know more, read our \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fzoltan-istvan-and-the-jesus-singularity\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">in-depth interview\u003C\u002Fa> with one of the world’s most influential transhumanists, Zoltan Istvan!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002F039_blackmirror-1.png\" alt=\"Black Mirror\" class=\"wp-image-22306\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002F039_blackmirror-1.png 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002F039_blackmirror-1-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002F039_blackmirror-1-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002F039_blackmirror-1-512x288.png 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>There is a variety of fields where a superhuman feature could potentially be created. And that will not be the result of a single discipline but of the \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fobamawhitehouse.archives.gov\u002Fsites\u002Fdefault\u002Ffiles\u002Fmicrosites\u002Fostp\u002Fbioecon-%28%23%20023SUPP%29%20NSF-NBIC.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">convergence\u003C\u002Fa> of multiple scientific fields. Currently, these have a restorative focus rather than a developmental one, although each can evolve towards that in the future. \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Ffrom-human-to-cyborg\" target=\"_blank\">In this article\u003C\u002Fa>, we split the possible directions into 3 main categories:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Col class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Removable cyborg extensions\u003C\u002Fstrong> – the tools enhancing the individual can easily be put away at the end of use\u003C\u002Fli>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Cyborg-humans\u003C\u002Fstrong> – technologies causing lasting, but not irreversible transformation like prosthetic limbs, digital tattoos and bionic implants\u003C\u002Fli>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Technologies changing humans forever\u003C\u002Fstrong> – genetic editing (such as CRISPR) is the one that raises the most ethical and \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-most-pressing-issues-in-bioethics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">moral questions\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Fol>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>This time we categorize the possibilities for enhancements horizontally and have a look at 5 fields where human enhancements would be possible.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Brainpower\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>A microchip in the brain that will enhance our cognitive functions by a zillion – how we all could use such a thing during exams! The concept was first raised back in 1968 by architect Nicholas Negroponte at MIT, and it has come a long way since. Hacking the human brain is more difficult than we could imagine and cannot be solved with a single microchip implant. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>But Elon Musk’s \u003Cem>other\u003C\u002Fem> company, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fneuralink.com\u002Fapproach\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Neuralink\u003C\u002Fa> aims to do just that. The idea is to have a chip implanted in one’s brain; that neural implant will let you control a computer or mobile device anywhere you go. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since Musk \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fwatch?v=CLUWDLKAF1M\" target=\"_blank\">presented the pigs with the implants\u003C\u002Fa> and in 2023 the company is \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theverge.com\u002F2023\u002F9\u002F19\u002F23880861\u002Fneuralink-human-clinical-trial-n1-implant\" target=\"_blank\">recruiting human candidates\u003C\u002Fa> with quadriplegia for a six-year clinical trial. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>But seeing what Elon Musk did to that poor pig, it did not at all look like the future. We at The Medical Futurist often say that before the digital health transformation, a cultural shift is inevitable. But having a neural implant somehow gives me the creeps – even if it could give me superpowers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Brain-computer interface\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>With less media hype, Synchron, a company that has developed a minimally invasive brain-computer interface is further along the way. Their implant actually has been working in at least two patients for quite a long time and has now enrolled six patients with severe quadriparesis. The current trial runs in three clinical trial sites in the US. The Synchron implant does not require open brain surgery as it is implanted in the blood vessel on the surface of the motor cortex of the brain via the jugular vein, through a minimally-invasive endovascular procedure. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"A Brain Implant That Turns Your Thoughts Into Text | Tom Oxley | TED\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002F7Fiaew7nDmE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Once implanted, it is designed to detect and wirelessly transmit motor intent out of the brain, intended to restore the capability for severely paralysed patients to control personal devices with hands-free point-and-click.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Researchers have been investigating the possibilities of brain-computer interfaces or BCIs for quite a while now. At first, these were thought to be tools on one hand to provide constant monitoring of the brain’s electrical activity; this could support a wide range of applications from monitoring epilepsy or ADHD to pain management and sleep assessment. On the other hand, the concept was thought to be a \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fhbr.org\u002F2020\u002F10\u002Fwhat-brain-computer-interfaces-could-mean-for-the-future-of-work\" target=\"_blank\">solution for paralysed people\u003C\u002Fa> to move and control things around them with only thoughts… Taking it onto the next level, such an implant could also be used as an external hard drive for the mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Enhancing cognitive performance would be able to change the lives of millions suffering from memory loss, and neurological or psychological disorders. Restorative processes like stroke rehabilitation would also gain from the technology. Or, as a matter of fact, these can help reduce the \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.frontiersin.org\u002Farticles\u002F10.3389\u002Ffnins.2020.00692\u002Ffull\" target=\"_blank\">cognitive effects of ageing\u003C\u002Fa>. No wonder there are many studies that focus on the possibilities such technology can provide \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\u002Fpmc\u002Farticles\u002FPMC7339951\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">for seniors\u003C\u002Fa>. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Muscle strength and robotic exoskeletons\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>There is a huge cultural acceptance issue with technological solutions for restoration vs. tech for boosting performance. According to a \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblogs.scientificamerican.com\u002Fobservations\u002Fwhat-americans-think-of-human-enhancement-technologies\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">study on the matter\u003C\u002Fa>, the public almost unanimously agrees with technological enhancement if it’s used for restorative purposes: 95% support physical restorative applications, and 88% support cognitive restorative applications. But when it comes to the enhancement of human capabilities for the reason of boosting performance – well, that’s a big no-no, according to the study. Only 35% of respondents agree with the concept.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Paralysed Man Completes London Marathon 2018\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FaB0pfAL6MdU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Robotic exoskeletons are also becoming more and more common. \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.sciencedirect.com\u002Ftopics\u002Fengineering\u002Fexoskeleton-robotics\" target=\"_blank\">Paralyzed\u003C\u002Fa> people or those who lost a limb have now the chance to move again with such technological advancements. Certain industries like \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fdozr.com\u002Fblog\u002Fconstruction-exoskeletons\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">construction\u003C\u002Fa> also make use of the extra power robotics can give. The next step will be the \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-future-of-prosthetics-depends-on-a-i\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">AI-powered prosthesis\u003C\u002Fa>; or ones that can supplement healthy individuals with additional limbs. Not to mention a future where we \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002FWTdfTupF7fs\" target=\"_blank\">share bodies and senses\u003C\u002Fa> with machines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>But what are advanced technologies worth if only the wealthiest can afford them? That has been the case with many exoskeletons therefore it’s so great to see \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.therobotreport.com\u002Frewalk-robotics-announces-solidified-medicare-coverage-for-personal-exoskeleton\u002F\">more and more covered by health insurance\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In 2023 October ReWalk Robotics, Inc. announced that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized a rule benefitting its exoskeleton technology. “Earlier this year, CMS released a proposal aiming to establish new regulatory definition of “brace.” Adding the definition of brace would expedite coverage and payment for newer technology and powered devices, according to CMS. This potentially enables faster access to the newer technologies, like those made by ReWalk and Myomo as well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The new CMS proposal includes personal exoskeletons in the Medicare benefit category for braces meaning that benefits would extend to exoskeletons which allow paralyzed patients to stand and walk. This follows a \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.therobotreport.com\u002Fexoskeletons-qualify-for-direct-disability-compensation-in-germany\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">similar announcement from Germany\u003C\u002Fa> from 2022. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Enhancing the senses\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>What if technology could aid humans to have better hearing than bats? What if we could filter out the smell of urban decay and only experience pleasant odours? Or what if implants could let us see microscopic objects? Or special features, such as the heat map of an abandoned terrain? These questions led us to list how technology could help augment human senses in our previous article. One exciting example of this was the AI-supported hearing aid presented at the 2021 CES. This device features an onboard deep neural network that gives people with hearing loss a better experience. And there are many more examples of that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Supercharging human senses with \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.medgadget.com\u002F2023\u002F11\u002Fglasses-provide-audible-prompts-for-blind-wearers.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">technology for the blind\u003C\u002Fa> or the deaf are entirely feasible enhancements. When a person loses a sense, the area of the brain that was responsible for handling that sensory information does not go unused. The \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.jneurosci.org\u002Fcontent\u002F32\u002F28\u002F9626.abstract?sid=554f9c9c-ec7e-4c33-87a0-3f2416e52e24\" target=\"_blank\">brain rewires itself\u003C\u002Fa> and uses that area to process other senses. This is \u003Cem>neuroplasticity\u003C\u002Fem>, the ability of the brain to change with experience. Researchers “just” need to find out how to use this natural superpower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Temporary or long-term sensory enhancements are also not limited to the ones with certain disabilities: the technology goes beyond that. In the \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Flink.springer.com\u002Freferenceworkentry\u002F10.1007%2F978-94-007-4707-4_106\" target=\"_blank\">Handbook of Neuroethics\u003C\u002Fa>, the authors explain that the enhancement tools “\u003Cem>could be implemented in mainly two ways: either via the application of digital technology or by genetic engineering of the human body\u003C\u002Fem>.” \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ericsson.com\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002F2018\u002F7\u002Faugmented-reality-gives-us-super-human-abilities-and-a-sixth-sense\" target=\"_blank\">Augmented reality\u003C\u002Fa> just takes this realm a step further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"One-minute Challenge: Augmented Reality - The Medical Futurist\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FxUaBrgsHkPs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Augmented reality is not only \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Faugmented-reality-in-healthcare-will-be-revolutionary\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">revolutionary\u003C\u002Fa> but can also give us real superpowers. It is one of the most promising digital health technologies, from \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.timesofisrael.com\u002Fin-global-first-shaare-zedek-spine-surgeon-combines-augmented-reality-with-robotics\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">operations\u003C\u002Fa> to providing \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002FWg6jN-audEM\" target=\"_blank\">information\u003C\u002Fa> and \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002FPzPKdlFbvYM\" target=\"_blank\">education\u003C\u002Fa>. Heightened capabilities of our vision by AR, VR, digital contact lenses or even retina chips have been bugging the minds of researchers for the past decade. And although many of the concepts \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Ffrom-theranos-to-google-glass-the-biggest-flops-in-digital-health\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">have failed\u003C\u002Fa> (remember Google’s glass or glucose-level measuring contact lenses?), these flops don’t necessarily mean the concepts are wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Genetic engineering – a brave new world?\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>A lot of research is underway in gene therapies. CRISPR editing was a huge step in this direction. While its original vision, to serve as a tool offering \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.technologyreview.com\u002F2023\u002F03\u002F07\u002F1069475\u002Fforget-designer-babies-heres-how-crispr-is-really-changing-lives\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">gene therapies for patients\u003C\u002Fa> is noble and just, there is a significant, primarily moral and ethical resistance against the method. For example, researchers in Oxford’s Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.ox.ac.uk\u002Fresearch\u002Fresearch-impact\u002Frestoring-sight-gene-therapy\" target=\"_blank\">help restore eyesight\u003C\u002Fa> to patients with genetic vision defects with gene therapy, which seems acceptable as a method; while genetic engineering \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fnuffieldbioethics.org\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">on an embryo-level\u003C\u002Fa> is more of a moral issue than a scientific one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>While CRISPR therapies are still considered experimental, and none have been approved, and some even have been unsuccessful, we’ve also seen \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.technologyreview.com\u002F2023\u002F03\u002F10\u002F1069619\u002Fmore-than-200-people-treated-with-experimental-crispr-therapies\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">some success stories\u003C\u002Fa> and several \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.technologyreview.com\u002F2023\u002F10\u002F25\u002F1082306\u002Fgene-editing-crispr-hiv-experiment\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">creepier announcements\u003C\u002Fa>. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Editing DNA can become a powerful tool in the diagnosis and the treatment of diseases. The European Union is trying to add the ethical component on the first level of its scientific programme in the genetic engineering leg of its human enhancement project. \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsienna-project.eu\u002Fgenomics\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Sienna\u003C\u002Fa>, and other such organisations and projects also raise and include ethical issues in their projects. However, with such technologies becoming more available, cases like the creation of first \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.wsj.com\u002Farticles\u002Fhow-a-chinese-scientist-broke-the-rules-to-create-the-first-gene-edited-babies-11557506697\" target=\"_blank\">designer babies in China\u003C\u002Fa> appear. After this scandal, the WHO launched a global registry to track research on human genome editing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Transhumanists predict that with the convergence of new technologies in science, we could create healthier, smarter and stronger humans. They think it’s our duty to evolve into something beyond ourselves. But as much as I love science, my idea of a happier life does not begin with being faster and stronger. It begins with the core values of humankind: empathy, tolerance and kindness. And if we can cure something or someone with the help of science, we should do that. But my brave new world shall not take place in \u003Cem>Gattaca\u003C\u002Fem>. \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Read more about these concepts in my book \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.amazon.com\u002FMy-Health-Revolutionary-Technologies-Healthier\u002Fdp\u002F6158026107\" target=\"_blank\">My Health Upgraded\u003C\u002Fa>, elaborating on where health care and medicine is heading in the future. \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh5>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Ca class=\"img\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.amazon.com\u002FMy-Health-Revolutionary-Technologies-Healthier\u002Fdp\u002F6158026107\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"350\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F05\u002Flive-better-with-technology-myhealthupgraded-promo-768x350.png\" alt=\"Live better using technology - Buy My Health Upgraded\" class=\"wp-image-13211\"\u002F\u003C\u002Fa srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F05\u002Flive-better-with-technology-myhealthupgraded-promo-768x350.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F05\u002Flive-better-with-technology-myhealthupgraded-promo-512x233.png 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F05\u002Flive-better-with-technology-myhealthupgraded-promo.png 870w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Get it on Amazon\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"rendered":1430,"protected":16},"\u003Cp>Enhancing human capabilities has been on the mind of people for ages, but superhumans came a long way from ancient training methods to exoskeletons. \u003C\u002Fp>\n",32183,{"_acf_changed":16,"footnotes":64},[1434,1317,542,68,1083,5,1435,1436,69,1084,1437,1438,173,281,1439],6261,798,491,800,516,514,[1087,1441,1442,1443,1088],1120,1332,6525,[558,559],[],[301,303,1447,978,432,979,1448,562,1449],2215,1571,1681,[1451,53,116,117,118,119,120,1452,1334,569,121,1096,122,1453,1454,123,1097,1455,1456,308,309,1457,1099,1458,1459,1460,1100,583,584],"post-32197","category-forecast","category-digital-health-research","category-empowered-patients","category-healthcare-policy","category-medical-education","category-virtual-reality","tag-bci","tag-transhumanism","tag-neuralink",{"id":1431,"alt_text":64,"caption":64,"description":1462,"media_type":149,"media_details":1463,"post":1480,"source_url":1481},"Becoming superhuman ",{"width":325,"height":326,"file":1464,"sizes":1465,"image_meta":1479},"2021\u002F01\u002Ftmf_article_236-01.png",{"medium":1466,"large":1469,"thumbnail":1472,"medium_large":1475,"1536x1536":1476},{"file":1467,"width":179,"height":180,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1468},"tmf_article_236-01-370x208.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F01\u002Ftmf_article_236-01-370x208.png",{"file":1470,"width":182,"height":183,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1471},"tmf_article_236-01-768x432.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F01\u002Ftmf_article_236-01-768x432.png",{"file":1473,"width":177,"height":177,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1474},"tmf_article_236-01-150x150.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F01\u002Ftmf_article_236-01-150x150.png",{"file":1470,"width":182,"height":183,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1471},{"file":1477,"width":342,"height":343,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1478},"tmf_article_236-01-1536x864.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F01\u002Ftmf_article_236-01-1536x864.png",{"aperture":188,"credit":64,"camera":64,"caption":64,"created_timestamp":188,"copyright":64,"focal_length":188,"iso":188,"shutter_speed":188,"title":64,"orientation":188},32095,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F01\u002Ftmf_article_236-01.png",{"cta_type":348,"cta_color":64,"subtitle":64,"related_posts_footer":1483,"related_posts":16,"related_books":1487,"key_takeaways":1489},[1484,1485,1486],53187,52933,53089,[1488,767,616],24765,[1490,1492,1494],{"title":1491},"\u003Cp>Human enhancement has evolved from ancient methods to advanced technologies like exoskeletons and genetic editing, blurring the lines between science fiction and reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"title":1493},"\u003Cp>Current advancements in human enhancement, such as brain-computer interfaces and sensory augmentation, promise to revolutionize not just health but everyday human capabilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"title":1495},"\u003Cp>The ethical and philosophical considerations of human enhancement, especially in transhumanism, highlight the need to balance technological progress with fundamental human values and moral.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"yoast_wpseo_title":1426,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":1497,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":1424},"Enhancing human capabilities has been on the mind of people for ages, but superhumans came a long way from ancient training methods to exoskeletons.",{"self":1499,"collection":1504,"about":1506,"author":1508,"replies":1510,"version-history":1513,"predecessor-version":1517,"wp:featuredmedia":1521,"wp:attachment":1524,"wp:term":1527,"curies":1538},[1500],{"href":1501,"targetHints":1502},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F32197",{"allow":1503},[27],[1505],{"href":220},[1507],{"href":223},[1509],{"embeddable":41,"href":226},[1511],{"embeddable":41,"href":1512},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=32197",[1514],{"count":1515,"href":1516},45,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F32197\u002Frevisions",[1518],{"id":1519,"href":1520},53721,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F32197\u002Frevisions\u002F53721",[1522],{"embeddable":41,"href":1523},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F32183",[1525],{"href":1526},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=32197",[1528,1530,1532,1534,1536],{"taxonomy":11,"embeddable":41,"href":1529},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=32197",{"taxonomy":248,"embeddable":41,"href":1531},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=32197",{"taxonomy":251,"embeddable":41,"href":1533},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=32197",{"taxonomy":254,"embeddable":41,"href":1535},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=32197",{"taxonomy":257,"embeddable":41,"href":1537},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=32197",[1539],{"name":39,"href":40,"templated":41},{"id":1541,"date":1542,"date_gmt":1543,"guid":1544,"modified":1546,"modified_gmt":1547,"slug":1548,"status":52,"type":53,"link":1549,"title":1550,"content":1552,"excerpt":1554,"author":61,"featured_media":1556,"comment_status":63,"ping_status":63,"sticky":41,"template":64,"format":65,"meta":1557,"categories":1558,"tags":1559,"project_category":1562,"contact_email_category":1563,"yst_prominent_words":1564,"class_list":1570,"better_featured_image":1574,"acf":1595,"yoast_meta":1596,"_links":1598},43005,"2022-04-28T10:00:00","2022-04-28T08:00:00",{"rendered":1545},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?post_id=43005&_wpnonce=8a31914f64&status=auto-draft&type=post","2022-04-25T14:19:48","2022-04-25T12:19:48","how-to-spot-if-your-remote-care-physician-is-an-a-i","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fhow-to-spot-if-your-remote-care-physician-is-an-a-i",{"rendered":1551},"How To Spot If Your Remote Care Physician Is An A.I.?",{"rendered":1553,"protected":16},"\n\u003Cp>I know, this sounds far-fetched, something like a science fiction movie dilemma. But what if it’s not? It is a fact that millions of healthcare workers are missing around the globe. Whether we miss \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.euro.who.int\u002Fen\u002Fhealth-topics\u002FHealth-systems\u002Fhealth-workforce\u002Fdata-and-statistics#:~:text=More%20specifically%20the%20Global%20Strategy,and%20midwives%20globally%20by%202030.\" target=\"_blank\">10 million\u003C\u002Fa> or \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.projecthope.org\u002Fthe-global-health-worker-shortage-10-numbers-to-note\u002F04\u002F2022\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">18 million \u003C\u002Fa>depends on who you ask. We also know that the number of patients in need of healthcare is only growing. And it also seems pretty obvious that with the current medical training models (and healthcare financing) we will never be able to fill this gap. Thus, expecting that A.I. will step in and take over some of the tasks from human practitioners seems only logical. And necessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Logical, necessary, but uncanny. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>We slowly grow accustomed to interacting with A.I. Whether it’s the assistant in our phones or a chatbot at a random support service introducing him\u002Fher\u002Fitself as a person but strangely phrasing the same question exactly the same way thrice. After all, ever cheerful Siri failing to understand a fairly simple request is nothing substantial. Terrell – my recent partner in solving a mysterious error of an IT issue – being a bit vacuous is just mildly entertaining or slightly annoying depending on the urgency of the problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"580\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F04\u002Fcombined-fake-human-faces-768x580.jpg\" alt=\"computer A.I. generated human\" class=\"wp-image-43007\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F04\u002Fcombined-fake-human-faces-768x580.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F04\u002Fcombined-fake-human-faces.jpg 1102w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>The only common feature of the people above is that none of them are real. They were randomly generated by clicking refresh on https:\u002F\u002Fthispersondoesnotexist.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>But my doctor? All the A.I. personas I regularly interact with have one thing in common. They are responsible for nothing crucial. Figuring out why the software I use suddenly fails to work with the same files it worked before might seem important(-ish) at the moment, but it does not require my trust. I might raise an eyebrow when it dawns on me that Terrell is not a human, and the company failed to inform me of this fact, but who cares.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dr. A.I. and my trust issues\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>A.I. and deep fake personas are getting\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fthispersondoesnotexist.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> more and more convincing\u003C\u002Fa>. Just as the flirty ‘actress’\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fwatch?v=gS1m_TIxEW0&t=114s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> in this video\u003C\u002Fa> sounds \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theverge.com\u002F2022\u002F2\u002F17\u002F22936978\u002Fai-voice-speech-synthesis-audio-deepfake-sonantic-flirtation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">human enough\u003C\u002Fa>, in a few years we can expect to video chat with an A.I. looking every bit as human as your doctor. And based on how some companies and service providers like to trick you into believing their chatbot is a real person, we can pretty much expect the same for Dr. A.I. provided to you by your medical insurance company, answering your questions about the symptoms you experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"What's Her Secret?\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FgS1m_TIxEW0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>It would be nice to know that this is an impossible scenario, and regulators will make sure you can never find yourself in a situation like the one I described above. But this might be a bit too optimistic, and I think we better prepare ourselves for a brave new world where spotting a deep fake human becomes an important skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Not because I don’t trust that medical A.I. will become competent enough to deal with a great number of basic scenarios. It surely will. Most probably, even today a hefty share of our health questions could be handled efficiently by an algorithm. But a patient-doctor relationship is a unique one as it requires trust above anything else. And \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fjamanetwork.com\u002Fjournals\u002Fjama\u002Ffullarticle\u002F194300\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">empathic reflection\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Knowing that I interact with Dr. A.I. would be much better than having to guess it. Thinking that I’m talking to a doctor and realising mid-process that this is not the case is the worst scenario I can imagine regarding my trust-in-healthcare issues. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>So, how can we prepare for a future when we might need the skill to decide if we are talking to a deep fake doctor instead of the real one?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Start training yourself now by catching A.I. chatbots\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Even though we are not there yet, you should start practising. Interact with chatbots, with virtual assistants, and take mental notes on the telltale signs helping you spot they are not human. What kinds are the questions they have difficulties interpreting? How do they react to a word joke or to a seemingly irrelevant remark? Can you get them in a repetitive cycle? Do their answers vary to the same question phrased in slightly different ways? Can they explain something in other words? Do they adequately relate to your expressed emotions? Are they able to convincingly reply to how they would feel in your situation? Do they have an opinion on something that is not related to the issue on hand? These are just a few hints, work on your methods, and find the ways helping you the most. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Practise how to spot deep fake\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Norton has a \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fus.norton.com\u002Finternetsecurity-emerging-threats-how-to-spot-deepfakes.html\" target=\"_blank\">helpful list\u003C\u002Fa> on how to spot deep fake videos. Of the 15 tricks they listed, we believe these are especially important, and most likely the easiest to spot. Our Dr. A.I. will most likely be fully computer-generated, but learning to keep an eye on the details of something you see on a screen will be useful. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\u003Cli>Unnatural eye movements or lack of natural eye movements, such as blinking. Natural eye movement is challenging to replicate. When something about the eyes seems off, it is always a red flag\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>Unnatural facial expressions – likewise, facial morphing (when the facial images of two or more individuals are combined) often results in a slightly uncomfortable feeling of something being just not right, always look for it!\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>Blurring or misalignment – especially around the edges of a person or an object can also be a sign of merging body parts or objects that originally did not go together\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>Hair, teeth or other small details that don’t look real. All right, the extreme effort celebrities put into their hairstyling might make this a bit more difficult, but the lack of natural hair texture, the complete absence of any frizziness or loose strands can also be a warning, just as weird-looking, shape-shifting teeth.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003C\u002Ful>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The problem is of course, that some of these signs are not very difficult to spot if you purposefully look for them, but most of us do not put in that kind of effort in a casually watched video. But in the era of the flat earth – we should.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Be mindful if you are passed over to someone else \u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>A very common solution for any chatbot \u002F assistant presented as a real human is that they will refer you to a different ‘colleague’ – a real human – if you start questioning whether they are a person or a robot. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Of course, it is quite difficult to predict how convincing the future Dr. A.I. will be – as we are not there yet, and the field is developing with amazing speed. And while on one hand, we are increasingly aware of the presence and capacity of deepfake, developers – most of whom work without a hint of malice – will do everything to do as perfectly as possible. A bit like the constant race between the manufacturers of armors and ammo, spotting and hiding an A.I. parading as a real person will be an ever-evolving battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\u003Cp>The moral of the story obviously is not that A.I. shouldn’t have a place in future medicine. It should. It will be the best solution for many areas with significant capacity shortages. But preparing for a scenario when we will have to decide whether to trust the doctor on the screen is real or not is a must. \u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n",{"rendered":1555,"protected":16},"\u003Cp>Medical A.I. will surely become competent enough to efficiently deal with a great number of health questions. But tricking patients into believing they interact with a human practitioner when they are not is an entirely different issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",27309,{"_acf_changed":16,"footnotes":64},[280,1317,68,5,426,281],[1560,552,91,1561],144,7561,[294],[],[1212,101,1565,979,1566,1567,298,565,1568,1569],1899,3619,4103,6097,1661,[1571,53,116,117,118,119,120,307,1334,121,122,440,309,1572,578,144,1573,320],"post-43005","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-a-i-doctor",{"id":1556,"alt_text":1575,"caption":64,"description":64,"media_type":149,"media_details":1576,"post":1593,"source_url":1594},"telemedicine and COVID-19",{"width":325,"height":326,"file":1577,"sizes":1578,"image_meta":1592},"2020\u002F03\u002FCOVID-telemed-small.jpg",{"medium":1579,"large":1582,"thumbnail":1585,"medium_large":1588,"1536x1536":1589},{"file":1580,"width":179,"height":180,"mime-type":159,"source_url":1581},"COVID-telemed-small-370x208.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F03\u002FCOVID-telemed-small-370x208.jpg",{"file":1583,"width":182,"height":183,"mime-type":159,"source_url":1584},"COVID-telemed-small-768x432.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F03\u002FCOVID-telemed-small-768x432.jpg",{"file":1586,"width":177,"height":177,"mime-type":159,"source_url":1587},"COVID-telemed-small-150x150.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F03\u002FCOVID-telemed-small-150x150.jpg",{"file":1583,"width":182,"height":183,"mime-type":159,"source_url":1584},{"file":1590,"width":342,"height":343,"mime-type":159,"source_url":1591},"COVID-telemed-small-1536x864.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F03\u002FCOVID-telemed-small-1536x864.jpg",{"aperture":188,"credit":64,"camera":64,"caption":64,"created_timestamp":188,"copyright":64,"focal_length":188,"iso":188,"shutter_speed":188,"title":64,"orientation":188},27293,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F03\u002FCOVID-telemed-small.jpg",{"cta_type":64,"cta_color":64,"subtitle":64,"related_books":16,"related_posts_footer":16,"related_posts":16},{"yoast_wpseo_title":1551,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":1597,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":1549},"Medical A.I. will become competent enoug. But tricking patients into believing they interact with a human practitioner is an entirely different issue.",{"self":1599,"collection":1604,"about":1606,"author":1608,"replies":1610,"version-history":1613,"predecessor-version":1616,"wp:featuredmedia":1620,"wp:attachment":1623,"wp:term":1626,"curies":1637},[1600],{"href":1601,"targetHints":1602},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F43005",{"allow":1603},[27],[1605],{"href":220},[1607],{"href":223},[1609],{"embeddable":41,"href":226},[1611],{"embeddable":41,"href":1612},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=43005",[1614],{"count":1161,"href":1615},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F43005\u002Frevisions",[1617],{"id":1618,"href":1619},43115,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F43005\u002Frevisions\u002F43115",[1621],{"embeddable":41,"href":1622},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F27309",[1624],{"href":1625},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=43005",[1627,1629,1631,1633,1635],{"taxonomy":11,"embeddable":41,"href":1628},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=43005",{"taxonomy":248,"embeddable":41,"href":1630},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=43005",{"taxonomy":251,"embeddable":41,"href":1632},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=43005",{"taxonomy":254,"embeddable":41,"href":1634},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=43005",{"taxonomy":257,"embeddable":41,"href":1636},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=43005",[1638],{"name":39,"href":40,"templated":41},{"id":1640,"date":1641,"date_gmt":1642,"guid":1643,"modified":1645,"modified_gmt":1646,"slug":1647,"status":52,"type":53,"link":1648,"title":1649,"content":1651,"excerpt":1653,"author":232,"featured_media":1655,"comment_status":63,"ping_status":63,"sticky":41,"template":64,"format":65,"meta":1656,"categories":1657,"tags":1662,"project_category":1681,"contact_email_category":1684,"yst_prominent_words":1685,"class_list":1691,"better_featured_image":1718,"acf":1737,"yoast_meta":1743,"_links":1746},34743,"2021-06-15T10:00:00","2021-06-15T08:00:00",{"rendered":1644},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?post_id=34743&_wpnonce=5544540553&status=auto-draft&type=post","2021-09-16T10:55:52","2021-09-16T08:55:52","healthcare-and-space-technology","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fhealthcare-and-space-technology",{"rendered":1650},"Top 5 Healthcare Areas That Space Technology Can Enhance",{"rendered":1652,"protected":16},"\n\u003Cp>David Bowie’s iconic song \u003Cem>Space Oddity\u003C\u002Fem> shares the story of fictional astronaut Major Tom as he is about to be launched into space. Its lyrics capture how ground control on Earth keeps in constant communication with Major Tom throughout his space-faring journey, and this much is true. But what is shared between Earth and space is not limited to conversations. Terrestrial technologies are sent to space to assist in astronauts’ health and space tech does get adapted for humans back on Earth too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Smart clothing manufacturer Hexoskin \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.hexoskin.com\u002Fblogs\u002Fnews\u002Fcanada-announce-its-participation-to-the-nasa-lunar-gateway-mission\" target=\"_blank\">has worked with astronauts\u003C\u002Fa> to design medical monitoring systems for Lunar and Martian missions. In early June, the handheld ultrasound Butterfly iQ \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.streetinsider.com\u002FBusiness+Wire\u002FThe+Butterfly+iQ+Catches+a+Ride+on+the+SpaceX+Dragon+to+Space\u002F18514520.html\" target=\"_blank\">was sent to the International Space Station\u003C\u002Fa> (ISS) to help monitor and assess astronauts’ health. But even though Jeff Bezos is planning for \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.space.com\u002Fjeff-bezos-blue-origin-first-passenger-spaceflight\" target=\"_blank\">a suborbital trip\u003C\u002Fa> this July and Elon Musk \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.vox.com\u002Fthe-goods\u002F2018\u002F11\u002F2\u002F18053824\u002Felon-musk-death-mars-spacex-kara-swisher-interview\" target=\"_blank\">wants to die on Mars\u003C\u002Fa>, the rest of us non-billionaire humans will have to have our feet grounded on Earth; at least for now. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>So what interests us is the spillover effects of these outer space missions’ on health tech; and how they can help reshape the future of healthcare. NASA has a history of licensing and transferring its technology for terrestrial uses, and it publishes how these turn into commercial products via its \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fspinoff.nasa.gov\u002Fdisclaimer.html\" target=\"_blank\">Spinoff publication\u003C\u002Fa>. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>While some of these might start sounding a bit… alien, such health tech development for extraterrestrial missions can find a firm footing back on Earth; and we’ll take a look at 5 areas where this can be the case. There’s no spacesuit required, so let’s dive right in!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>1. Diagnosing the remotest patients\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Inhabitants of the ISS represent patients living in extremely remote conditions. They live in a confined and isolated place, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.space.com\u002F8876-international-space-station-numbers.html\" target=\"_blank\">several hundreds of kilometers\u003C\u002Fa> away from the nearest medical facility, which would \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.space.com\u002Fsoyuz-makes-fastest-space-station-crew-flight-record\" target=\"_blank\">take hours\u003C\u002Fa> to reach. But many among those living on Earth can relate to those conditions.  However, astronauts have access to cutting-edge technologies to remotely monitor their health; and these can be life-changing if adapted for those living in areas with limited medical resources on Earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>VisualDX \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bcm.edu\u002Facademic-centers\u002Fspace-medicine\u002Ftranslational-research-institute\u002Fresearch\u002Ftrish-innovations\" target=\"_blank\">has developed\u003C\u002Fa> a machine learning algorithm trained on clinical data that helps non-healthcare professionals to diagnose some conditions. After taking a picture of their issue and answering some questions, the software guides astronauts to reach a diagnosis; even if no physician is available. VisualDX \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.visualdx.com\u002Fblog\u002Fmedcity-news-visualdx-gets-gates-grant-to-build-offline-diagnostic-tool\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">is working on an offline mode\u003C\u002Fa> for its app.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH) is assisting VisualDx to adapt the app for astronauts. It will enable them to help each other in case a medical professional is not present. It’s easy to see the advantage of adapting such a diagnostic tool for emergency situations and low-resource areas back on Earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F02\u002F012_health_chatbot-1-768x432.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26459\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F02\u002F012_health_chatbot-1-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F02\u002F012_health_chatbot-1-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F02\u002F012_health_chatbot-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F02\u002F012_health_chatbot-1-512x288.png 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F02\u002F012_health_chatbot-1-2048x1152.png 2048w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F02\u002F012_health_chatbot-1.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>NASA’s own machine learning algorithms \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nasa.gov\u002Fdirectorates\u002Fspacetech\u002Fspinoff\u002FAstronaut_AI_Monitors_Patients_at-Home\" target=\"_blank\">have been adapted\u003C\u002Fa> for healthcare monitoring on Earth itself; and no, it’s not going to lead to \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fwhat-healthcare-should-learn-from-stanley-kubricks-2001-a-space-odyssey\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">a HAL situation\u003C\u002Fa> like in \u003Cem>2001: A Space Odyssey\u003C\u002Fem>. Ejenta built on the agency’s algorithms to develop a cloud-based system that gains insights into patients’ health from wearables and medical records. \u003Cem>“We’ve applied the technology to various health monitoring situations, and it functions in a way that’s very similar to the system at NASA\u003C\u002Fem>,” \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nasa.gov\u002Fdirectorates\u002Fspacetech\u002Fspinoff\u002FAstronaut_AI_Monitors_Patients_at-Home\" target=\"_blank\">said Rachna Dhamija\u003C\u002Fa>, CEO of Ejenta Inc. Some studies even \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nasa.gov\u002Fdirectorates\u002Fspacetech\u002Fspinoff\u002FAstronaut_AI_Monitors_Patients_at-Home\" target=\"_blank\">found that\u003C\u002Fa> with Ejenta’s system, doctors could identify conditions in their early stages and prevent complications.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>2. Downsizing labs\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>With full-fledged medical facilities not being an option, access to laboratory tools for further analyses of remote patients’ health status is limited, if not unavailable. To address this need on the ISS, NASA and the TRISH team decided to downsize the lab; perhaps by taking cues from \u003Cem>Star Trek\u003C\u002Fem>. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>They are \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bcm.edu\u002Facademic-centers\u002Fspace-medicine\u002Ftranslational-research-institute\u002Fresearch\u002Ftrish-innovations\u002Fminiaturizing-health-assessments-in-space\" target=\"_blank\">working with 1Drop Diagnostics\u003C\u002Fa>, which previously developed a portable device capable of performing point-of-care blood analyses. The smaller, space travel-friendly version can \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bcm.edu\u002Facademic-centers\u002Fspace-medicine\u002Ftranslational-research-institute\u002Fresearch\u002Ftrish-innovations\u002Fminiaturizing-health-assessments-in-space\" target=\"_blank\">measure a range of biomarkers\u003C\u002Fa> to determine cardiovascular function, kidney and liver function from a small blood sample.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F06\u002F177_tmf-01-768x432.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-28665\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F06\u002F177_tmf-01-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F06\u002F177_tmf-01-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F06\u002F177_tmf-01-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F06\u002F177_tmf-01.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>NASA also previously \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ftechnology.nasa.gov\u002Fpage\u002Fnasa-technologies-that-can-improve\" target=\"_blank\">developed a nanosensor device\u003C\u002Fa> that could help detect certain conditions in a non-invasive fashion. The small chip consists of \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ftechnology.nasa.gov\u002Fpatent\u002FTOP2-169\" target=\"_blank\">a series of nanochemical sensors\u003C\u002Fa> that can identify biomarkers in one’s breath. These can in turn help identify an underlying condition. For example, Type 1 diabetics’ exhaled breath contains acetone, which can be detected with such a device.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Back on Earth, equipping first responders with such point-of-care tools is a no-brainer, as they allow the assessment of one’s status and detection of conditions anywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>3. Next-generation wearables\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Of course, astronauts need more of their vital signs monitored and they can do so like we do, with wearables. But space-ready ones can push the boundaries further regarding what we can expect from such personal health sensors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F04\u002Ftmf_article_255-01-768x432.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33803\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F04\u002Ftmf_article_255-01-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F04\u002Ftmf_article_255-01-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F04\u002Ftmf_article_255-01-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F04\u002Ftmf_article_255-01.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The first Mars mission-ready wearable, the \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.empatica.com\u002Fen-gb\u002Fembraceplus\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">EmbracePlus\u003C\u002Fa>, comes from Empatica. It is a low-power smartwatch that can continuously monitor a range of parameters such as electrodermal activity, heart rate or oxygen saturation. It also \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.prnewswire.com\u002Fnews-releases\u002Fempatica-announces-embraceplus-nasa-medical-quality-in-a-down-to-earth-smart-watch-300961125.html\" target=\"_blank\">uses an A.I. to support\u003C\u002Fa> the user to interpret readings. The company even developed an on-wrist charger to enable non-stop health monitoring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>4. Enhancing cognitive performance\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“\u003Cem>Astronauts are high performing folks, and we want to keep them high performing”,\u003C\u002Fem> \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.plugandplaytechcenter.com\u002Fresources\u002Fhow-mental-health-astronauts-affected-space\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">says Jimmy Wu\u003C\u002Fa>, Senior Biomedical Engineer at TRISH. And one way to keep them performing to the best of their abilities is to ensure that they maintain high levels of cognitive abilities. TRISH is investigating new ways to boost how astronauts perform mental tasks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Collaborating with the City College of New York, they are \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bcm.edu\u002Facademic-centers\u002Fspace-medicine\u002Ftranslational-research-institute\u002Fresearch\u002Fresearch-portfolio\u002Fbehavioral-health-research\" target=\"_blank\">exploring the potential\u003C\u002Fa> for light in the near-infrared range to enhance the vascular and metabolic function of cells. Their technique involves applying safe levels of laser light to the forehead so as to improve brain function.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F04\u002FMeditáció-768x432.png\" alt=\"future of psychiatry\" class=\"wp-image-23675\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F04\u002FMeditáció-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F04\u002FMeditáció-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F04\u002FMeditáció-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F04\u002FMeditáció-2048x1152.png 2048w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F04\u002FMeditáció-512x288.png 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Another team at TRISH is investigating the use of ultrasound techniques to enhance astronauts’ performance. They \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bcm.edu\u002Facademic-centers\u002Fspace-medicine\u002Ftranslational-research-institute\u002Fresearch\u002Ftrish-innovations\u002Fa-wearable-to-focus-the-astronaut-mind\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">developed a wearable\u003C\u002Fa> that non-invasively stimulates specific areas of the brain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>These definitely sound like unconventional techniques. But they could lead to a smart headband that non-invasively helps people remain high-performing, even in adverse environments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>5. Extraterrestrial organs for terrestrial needs\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Further down the line, we can see even more sci-fi-esque technologies from space than laser and ultrasound headbands to boost our brain performance. More specifically, tissues and organs from space could be brought down to the globe to address \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F3d-bioprinting-overview\u002F\">the severe shortage\u003C\u002Fa> of organ transplants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>No, we don’t mean harvesting alien organs but \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F3d-bioprinting-overview\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">bioprinting\u003C\u002Fa> them in space. This is what Dr. Andrew Morgan \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.com\u002Ffuture\u002Farticle\u002F20210601-how-transplant-organs-might-be-printed-in-outer-space\" target=\"_blank\">has been experimenting\u003C\u002Fa> on the ISS. The microgravity environment in the station is appropriate for 3D-printing tissues as it minimises the risk of collapsing under gravity. Even though \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.com\u002Ffuture\u002Farticle\u002F20210601-how-transplant-organs-might-be-printed-in-outer-space\" target=\"_blank\">experts expect\u003C\u002Fa> that it could be over a decade before viable tissues and even organs printed with this method are transplanted into humans, it could provide customised organs with reduced rejection risks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002Ftmf_article_249-01-768x432.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33403\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002Ftmf_article_249-01-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002Ftmf_article_249-01-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002Ftmf_article_249-01-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002Ftmf_article_249-01.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Chr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\u002F>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>We explored some of the most promising and interesting ways that space tech could enhance healthcare on Earth. There are \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nasa.gov\u002Ffeature\u002Fnasa-selects-proposals-to-support-crew-health-performance-on-missions-to-moon-mars\" target=\"_blank\">more experiments\u003C\u002Fa> being conducted that could also be adapted for use on the ground. Are there any that you would like to see become turned into terrestrial practice?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>Written by Dr. Bertalan Meskó & Dr. Pranavsingh Dhunnoo\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"10px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>At The Medical Futurist, we are building a community for making a bold vision about the future of healthcare reality today.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FFIbMejImnxs\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003Cp>If you’d like to support this mission, we invite you to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">join The Medical Futurist Patreon Community\u003C\u002Fa>. A community of empowered patients, future-oriented healthcare professionals, concerned health policymakers, sensible health tech developers, and enthusiastic medical students. If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our research and sustains our future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">\u003Cstrong style=\"background-color: #e71d3299; color: #000;\">Click here to support The Medical Futurist from as little as $3\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa> – it only takes a minute. Thank you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Ftbody>\n\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"rendered":1654,"protected":16},"\u003Cp>David Bowie’s iconic song Space Oddity shares the story of fictional astronaut Major Tom as he is about to be launched into space. Its lyrics […]\u003C\u002Fp>\n",34787,{"_acf_changed":16,"footnotes":64},[1434,1658,1659,1317,1083,5,1435,426,1660,1084,738,1661],4879,498,490,494,[698,1663,1664,1665,689,1666,1667,1668,1669,1670,1671,1672,1673,1674,1675,1676,693,1677,1678,1679,1680],7195,740,7197,7199,6637,7201,7181,821,7183,7185,7187,7189,152,7191,551,7193,453,4711,[1682,557,1683,559],947,949,[],[1686,436,97,1212,101,1093,103,1687,1688,1448,1689,1690],1587,2097,2285,2739,1577,[1692,53,116,117,118,119,120,1452,1693,1694,1334,1096,122,1453,440,1695,1097,1696,1697,731,1698,1699,1700,722,1701,1702,1703,1704,1705,1706,1707,1708,1709,1710,1711,726,1712,1713,1714,1715,1716,582,1717,584],"post-34743","category-lifestyle-medicine","category-3d-printing","category-future-of-pharma","category-personalized-medicine","category-telemedicine","tag-1drop-diagnostic","tag-elon-musk","tag-empatica","tag-e-t","tag-hexoskin","tag-3d-bioprinting","tag-space-oddity","tag-a-i","tag-butterfly-iq","tag-iss","tag-jeff-bezos","tag-visualdx","tag-bioprinting","tag-trish","tag-organs","tag-ejenta","tag-wearables-2","tag-lab-test","project_category-company","project_category-educators",{"id":1655,"alt_text":1650,"caption":64,"description":64,"media_type":149,"media_details":1719,"post":1640,"source_url":1736},{"width":325,"height":326,"file":1720,"sizes":1721,"image_meta":1735},"2021\u002F06\u002Ftmf_article_276-01.png",{"medium":1722,"large":1725,"thumbnail":1728,"medium_large":1731,"1536x1536":1732},{"file":1723,"width":179,"height":180,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1724},"tmf_article_276-01-370x208.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F06\u002Ftmf_article_276-01-370x208.png",{"file":1726,"width":182,"height":183,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1727},"tmf_article_276-01-768x432.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F06\u002Ftmf_article_276-01-768x432.png",{"file":1729,"width":177,"height":177,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1730},"tmf_article_276-01-150x150.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F06\u002Ftmf_article_276-01-150x150.png",{"file":1726,"width":182,"height":183,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1727},{"file":1733,"width":342,"height":343,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1734},"tmf_article_276-01-1536x864.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F06\u002Ftmf_article_276-01-1536x864.png",{"aperture":188,"credit":64,"camera":64,"caption":64,"created_timestamp":188,"copyright":64,"focal_length":188,"iso":188,"shutter_speed":188,"title":64,"orientation":188},"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F06\u002Ftmf_article_276-01.png",{"cta_type":348,"cta_color":64,"subtitle":64,"related_books":1738,"related_posts_footer":1739,"related_posts":16},[352,1488],[1740,1741,1742],34631,12808,34461,{"yoast_wpseo_title":1744,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":1745,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":1648},"Top 5 Healthcare Areas That Space Technology Can Enhance - The Medical Futurist","In NASA-led research digital health technologies and space research might overlap – which could bring useful innovations for earthlings, too.",{"self":1747,"collection":1752,"about":1754,"author":1756,"replies":1758,"version-history":1761,"predecessor-version":1765,"wp:featuredmedia":1769,"wp:attachment":1772,"wp:term":1775,"curies":1786},[1748],{"href":1749,"targetHints":1750},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F34743",{"allow":1751},[27],[1753],{"href":220},[1755],{"href":223},[1757],{"embeddable":41,"href":492},[1759],{"embeddable":41,"href":1760},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=34743",[1762],{"count":1763,"href":1764},13,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F34743\u002Frevisions",[1766],{"id":1767,"href":1768},36137,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F34743\u002Frevisions\u002F36137",[1770],{"embeddable":41,"href":1771},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F34787",[1773],{"href":1774},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=34743",[1776,1778,1780,1782,1784],{"taxonomy":11,"embeddable":41,"href":1777},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=34743",{"taxonomy":248,"embeddable":41,"href":1779},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=34743",{"taxonomy":251,"embeddable":41,"href":1781},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=34743",{"taxonomy":254,"embeddable":41,"href":1783},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=34743",{"taxonomy":257,"embeddable":41,"href":1785},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=34743",[1787],{"name":39,"href":40,"templated":41},{"id":199,"date":1789,"date_gmt":1790,"guid":1791,"modified":1793,"modified_gmt":1794,"slug":1795,"status":52,"type":53,"link":1796,"title":1797,"content":1799,"excerpt":1801,"author":61,"featured_media":1803,"comment_status":63,"ping_status":63,"sticky":41,"template":64,"format":65,"meta":1804,"categories":1805,"tags":1807,"project_category":1823,"contact_email_category":1824,"yst_prominent_words":1825,"class_list":1828,"better_featured_image":1846,"acf":1867,"yoast_meta":1873,"_links":1875},"2021-02-17T10:00:55","2021-02-17T09:00:55",{"rendered":1792},"http:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?p=17353","2021-02-17T10:52:31","2021-02-17T09:52:31","the-future-of-sex-and-sexuality","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-future-of-sex-and-sexuality",{"rendered":1798},"The Technological Future Of Sexuality And Sexual Health",{"rendered":1800,"protected":16},"\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Long-distance hugs; virtual reality porn stars; technosexuals living with automated dolls; you might have caught such news snippets online, but you’ll have to get used to these with the technological transformation of sex. Indeed, if technology permeates the entire terrain of human relations, why should sex and sexuality be an exception? \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sextech is already \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.forbes.com\u002Fsites\u002Fbernardmarr\u002F2020\u002F11\u002F30\u002Ffuture-of-intimacy-sex-bots-virtual-reality-and-smart-sex-toys\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a $30 billion-strong industry,\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> but analyses expect it to grow further to \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.prnewswire.com\u002Fnews-releases\u002Fglobal-52-7bn-sex-toys-market-outlook-2026---rising-presence-of-online-retailers-drives-the-industry-300973202.html\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$52.7 billion by 2026\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Such devices even made their way into the popular Consumer Electronic Show in \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cnet.com\u002Fpictures\u002Fces-2020-all-the-sex-tech-on-display\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2020\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.welltodoglobal.com\u002Fsex-tech-takes-centre-stage-at-ces-2021\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2021\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> showing that tech and sex are increasingly getting intermingled. But far from Tinder, \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.techradar.com\u002Fnews\u002Fhackers-used-ransomware-to-lock-up-internet-enabled-chastity-device\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ransomware-prone male chastity devices\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ci>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ouch!\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fi>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) or dystopian scenarios, technology can also augment our sexual health, especially when it comes to stigmatised conditions. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Science fiction creators have already explored such subjects with recent movies and shows. Spike Jonze’s \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ci>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Her \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fi>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(2013) told a beautiful love story between Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix) and an artificial intelligence (A.I.) operating system. In \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ci>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ex Machina\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fi>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2015), Alicia Vikander takes the character of a robot capable of interpreting and responding to human feelings, while also manipulating people in its environment. The popular HBO show \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ci>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Westworld \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fi>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">on the other hand depicted inhumane violence that humans can inflict on robotic companions.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether living out one’s sexual fantasies on robots affects real-life interactions with human partners or whether sex robots threaten the world’s oldest profession are such questions that we must contemplate. This is because advanced technologies will increasingly become commonplace in this area of our lives. As we step into\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the dawn of a new sexual revolution, it’s time to face where technology may take the most intimate area of our lives. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For further insights we also talked with a transhumanist, a sexual health tech startup and a technosexual; because even though this year’s Valentine’s Day seemed like any other, those in coming years might be wildly different.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch1>\u003Cb>Sex and companionship during the pandemic\u003C\u002Fb>\u003C\u002Fh1>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The need to limit travel and to introduce lockdowns amidst the pandemic impacted our sexual lives like nothing before. Many had no physical contacts with their partners for months and as a consequence, we had to adapt. As work and shopping increasingly turned to virtual solutions, so did sex. Sexting \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmashable.com\u002Farticle\u002Fsexting-nudes-increase-coronavirus-quarantine\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">saw a rise\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as did the \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ftheconversation.com\u002Fcybersex-erotic-tech-and-virtual-intimacy-are-on-the-rise-during-covid-19-141769\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sale of sextech\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. More and more people \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmashable.com\u002Farticle\u002Finfluencer-onlyfans-sex-work\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">flocked to OnlyFans\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a streaming platform mostly associated with digital sex work. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ffutureofsex.net\u002FFuture_of_Sex_Report.pdf\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Future of Sex report\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> more than 25% \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of young people will have had a long-distance sexual experience.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other forms of companionship are also adopting socially-distant features. For “only” £250, you can get a \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcutecircuit.com\u002Fhugshirt\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HugShirt\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This smart shirt \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">allows people to send hugs over distance – just like a text message. The wearer can feel the strength, duration, and location of the touch, skin warmth, and the heart rate of the sender.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> There’s now also the possibility to send a kiss remotely with the \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fkissenger.lovotics.com\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kissenger from Lovotics\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. By kissing the device’s artificial mouth on the sender end, the receiver device “\u003Cem>provides the convincing properties of the real kiss.”\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For fans of sci-fi, Gatebox released the \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.otaquest.com\u002Fgatebox-to-begin-shipping-their-mass-production-model\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GTBX-100, \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">which is an Alexa-like virtual home assistant but with a more “human touch.” It features a cute humanoid hologram that “lives” in a capsule, allowing you to interact with “her” more naturally, and she can even act as the user’s wife.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Gatebox - Promotion Movie "OKAERI"_english\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FnkcKaNqfykg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Such contraptions might sound strange or even funny, but they can address real issues. Before the pandemic, a “\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.forbes.com\u002Fsites\u002Fneilhowe\u002F2019\u002F05\u002F03\u002Fmillennials-and-the-loneliness-epidemic\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">loneliness epidemic\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">” was already spreading. Japan already had \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.japantimes.co.jp\u002Fnews\u002F2016\u002F09\u002F07\u002Fnational\u002Fjapan-home-541000-young-recluses-survey-finds\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">over half a million people\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> below 40 years of age who hadn’t had interactions with anyone or left their house for at least six months. Solo households’ share amounts to \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cbc.ca\u002Fnews\u002Fpolitics\u002Fcensus-2016-marriage-children-families-1.4231163\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">28% in Canada\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fec.europa.eu\u002Feurostat\u002Fweb\u002Fproducts-eurostat-news\u002F-\u002FDDN-20180706-1\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">34% in the European Union\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Loneliness can have \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.forbes.com\u002Fsites\u002Fneilhowe\u002F2019\u002F05\u002F03\u002Fmillennials-and-the-loneliness-epidemic\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">devastating health consequences\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> like depression or even predispose to physical conditions like heart disease. As providing companionship and intimacy online becomes more adopted, such solutions could become more accessible to those wary of physical interactions.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch1>\u003Cb>Destigmatising sexual health\u003C\u002Fb>\u003C\u002Fh1>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New technological approaches can also address other sensitive topics like sexual health. The latter is often stigmatised and a taboo subject for many. “\u003Cem>A positive relationship to sex shouldn’t be a privileged thing, it’s a fundamental human right\u003C\u002Fem>,” \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Fcareers\u002F2020\u002Fjul\u002F06\u002Fa-journey-to-mindful-sex-how-a-new-app-is-helping-women-find-sexual-wellbeing\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">said Billie Quinlan\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, co-founder of Ferly. The latter is a “mindful sex app” for women that, based on one’s profile, suggests appropriate audio guides that vary from encouraging the user to self-touch and explore through challenging negative beliefs about one’s body to discussing gynaecological anatomy. The app even saw \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Fcareers\u002F2020\u002Fjul\u002F06\u002Fa-journey-to-mindful-sex-how-a-new-app-is-helping-women-find-sexual-wellbeing\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a 65% increase\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in organic downloads during the pandemic.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cfigure id=\"attachment_32723\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-32723\" style=\"width: 1304px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-32723\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fsex-health-app-sextech.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1304\" height=\"732\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fsex-health-app-sextech.jpg 1304w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fsex-health-app-sextech-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fsex-health-app-sextech-768x431.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1304px) 100vw, 1304px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption id=\"caption-attachment-32723\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: https:\u002F\u002Fmashable.com\u002F\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Men as well face the pressure of stigma when it comes to their sexual health. “\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cem>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Men’s health has a number of challenges, with everything from hard to access services to embarrassing conditions\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fem>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003Cem>,\u003C\u002Fem>” Sam Shah, Chief Medical Strategy Officer of \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Numan\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, told us \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fposts\u002Ftaking-stigma-of-47274999\">in an interview\u003C\u002Fa> on our Patreon channel. This startup focuses on men’s health including conditions such as erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.numan.com\u002F\">Numan\u003C\u002Fa> also provides personalised supplements to support men through their online platform.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“\u003Cem>Numan takes a different approach, its focus is on being helpful to the people using our services and also trying to take some of the stigma out of conditions such as erectile dysfunction,\u003C\u002Fem>” Shah added. “\u003Cem>We’re doing that using social marketing techniques, using advertising and messaging that people can identify with. By helping men engage with our service we can help solve some immediate problems, but more importantly help to diagnose other underlying conditions such as diabetes or testosterone deficiency.\u003C\u002Fem>”\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sam Shah also noted that during the pandemic, the number of people using their services and similar ones increased. Hopefully, adoption remains high post-pandemic.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch1>\u003Cb>Robots are coming to your bedroom\u003C\u002Fb>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.geminoid.jp\u002Fen\u002Findex.html\">\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fh1>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Futurist Dr. Ian Pearson \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ffinance.yahoo.com\u002Fnews\u002Frobots-mean-future-sex-163000549.html\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">previously estimated\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in a report that by 2050, human-robot sex will become more common than human-human sex.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Is there any chance for that to happen? Considering the state of technology, it might. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Companies like \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.realdoll.com\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">RealDoll\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Frealbotix.com\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Realbotix\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> manufacture A.I.-powered \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">adult dolls \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">endowed with facial expressions and conversing abilities. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Realbotix’s iconic sex robot, Harmony, which can cost up to $12,000, \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.forbes.com\u002Fsites\u002Fandreamorris\u002F2020\u002F07\u002F28\u002Ftalk-to-your-sex-robot-about-covid-19\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">has even received an update\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that adds a coronavirus conversational feature.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Already, there are people with such robotic partners: the \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">so-called technosexuals. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among them is \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ftwitter.com\u002FDavecat\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Davecat,\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> who lives with his wife and mistress; both synthetic dolls. He told The Medical Futurist that being a technosexual has improved his life, without question. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He said he felt isolated and alone, without a place in society. After he began his relationship with his synthetic partners, everything changed. He says he is now happy and that his friends accept his choice. He added his dolls were necessary to start living a better life.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Realbotix Sex Robot, Harmony discusses COVID-19 and depression.\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FzuTN3M1BYg0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While such dolls often err in \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fspectrum.ieee.org\u002Fautomaton\u002Frobotics\u002Fhumanoids\u002Fwhat-is-the-uncanny-valley\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the uncanny valley\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, or when artificial human depictions look lifelike, but something still feels off; they are still sought after in the world’s oldest profession. From \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.scmp.com\u002Fnews\u002Fhong-kong\u002Fsociety\u002Farticle\u002F3078456\u002Ftourists-gone-hong-kong-guest-house-owner-hopes-sex-doll\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hong Kong\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.reviewjournal.com\u002Flocal\u002Flocal-las-vegas\u002Fsex-dolls-experience-raises-eyebrows-in-las-vegas-neighborhood-1950537\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Las Vegas\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.vox.com\u002Fthe-goods\u002F2018\u002F11\u002F26\u002F18113019\u002Fsex-doll-brothels-legal-sex-work\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sex doll brothels\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are now a reality. Europe’s first sex doll brothel, which opened in Barcelona, attracts \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.vice.com\u002Fen\u002Farticle\u002Fxgq54d\u002Finside-europes-first-sex-doll-brothel\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">around 55 clients every week\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Another brothel in the same city even “employs” both artificial and human prostitutes. Some \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.express.co.uk\u002Fnews\u002Fworld\u002F779841\u002FSex-robot-brothel-Lumidolls-Barcelona-prostitutes-complain-police\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">consider these newcomers as a threat\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to the trade\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and has even led to \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcampaignagainstsexrobots.org\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Campaign Against Sex Robots\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The latter was founded in 2015 “\u003Cem>to warn against the dangers of normalising relationships with machines and reinforcing female dehumanisation\u003C\u002Fem>”.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the other hand, Davecat told us that he thinks such companions can be adequate for lonely people, those unlucky in romance or not fitting in society. With the ability to not only listen but also respond, they can be a genuine benefit to thousands of individuals, he added.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch1>\u003Cb>VR takes porn into another reality… without ever replacing human contact\u003C\u002Fb>\u003C\u002Fh1>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Going one step further from artificial dolls, the sex industry is also accommodating virtual, intangible sex workers altogether. Indeed\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the adult entertainment industry has always been on the cutting edge of technological revolution, \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">so it’s no wonder that industry experts estimate that virtual reality (VR) porn accounts for \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fskarredghost.com\u002F2019\u002F04\u002F12\u002Fstatus-of-augmented-reality-ar-porn\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">50% of the total VR market\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The biggest appeal of VR porn is that it gives the potential feeling of being \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ci>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fi>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the movie thanks to the 360-degree films that allow viewers to move their heads around\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (but not much else)\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, under COVID lockdown, it’s the closest thing to real sex some might experience. That’s why some VR porn companies have experienced as much as \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.insider.com\u002Fadult-entertainment-industry-seeing-rise-in-vr-porn-isolation-2020-3\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">30% growth in sales\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> since lockdowns began. Even regular, 2D porn saw a boost as \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.insider.com\u002Fadult-entertainment-industry-seeing-rise-in-vr-porn-isolation-2020-3\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PornHub’s surge in traffic\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> attests. As \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.insider.com\u002Fnew-york-city-coronavirus-safe-sex-guide-rimming-masturbation-2020-3\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New York City health officials put it\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> ‘you are your safest sex partner’.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cfigure id=\"attachment_32725\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-32725\" style=\"width: 950px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-32725\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002FVirtual-reality-VR-sex-relationship.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"950\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002FVirtual-reality-VR-sex-relationship.jpg 950w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002FVirtual-reality-VR-sex-relationship-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002FVirtual-reality-VR-sex-relationship-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 950px) 100vw, 950px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption id=\"caption-attachment-32725\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: https:\u002F\u002Fmashable.com\u002F\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.insider.com\u002Fwhy-people-use-virtual-reality-porn-what-psychologists-think-2019-11\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">psychologists advise\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> indulging in VR porn with moderation. Otherwise, viewers might not satisfy themselves with real experiences and even grow dependent on it. “\u003Cem>No matter how real it feels and how much you enjoy it, that person on the screen is never going to replace proper human contact,\u003C\u002Fem>” \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.insider.com\u002Fadult-entertainment-industry-seeing-rise-in-vr-porn-isolation-2020-3\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">psychologist Perpetua Neo said\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In extreme cases, it could even lead to so-called “\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.insider.com\u002Fadult-entertainment-industry-seeing-rise-in-vr-porn-isolation-2020-3\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">porn-induced erectile dysfunction.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">” It refers to viewers’ brains getting accustomed to such extreme levels of stimulation that they can’t get stimulated enough by their real-life partner.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch1>\u003Cb>Sextech and the future of society\u003C\u002Fb>\u003C\u002Fh1>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At this point, \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">you might be experiencing a feeling of shock, outrage, frustration, amazement\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or the combination of all four. However, you should consider that technology is always developed as a response to \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">human needs\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are people who live in long-distance relationships and desperately lonely people. Others might have problems with monogamy or  forming long-lasting (sexual) relationships.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Others who live in marriage and everything else except sex is working just fine. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some even struggle with their own sexuality and matters of sexual health. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The future of sextech can offer solutions to live a fulfilling sexual life.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, these also \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bring along a host of ethical and moral questions about our relationships\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and our society as a whole. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is VR sex cheating or a safe way to experiment? We could ask the same about A.I. sex dolls too. Moreover, should the latter be allowed to recreate questionable or downright immoral fantasies? \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“\u003Cem>Some robots are programmed to protest, to create a rape scenario\u003C\u002Fem>,” Dr Christine Hendren of Duke University \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.com\u002Fnews\u002Fscience-environment-51330261\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">told BBC News\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. “\u003Cem>Some are designed to look like children. One developer of these in Japan is a self-confessed paedophile, who says that this device is a prophylactic against him ever hurting a real child.\u003C\u002Fem>” Researchers \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.com\u002Fnews\u002Fscience-environment-51330261\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">are already sounding the alarm\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that such robots present an increasing threat to individual, as well as societal, morals and psychology. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cfigure id=\"attachment_32727\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-32727\" style=\"width: 960px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-32727\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fsex-robot-doll-companion.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"960\" height=\"641\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fsex-robot-doll-companion.jpg 960w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fsex-robot-doll-companion-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption id=\"caption-attachment-32727\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: https:\u002F\u002Fwww.forbes.com\u002F\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We will have to increasingly address these tough issues in the coming years. But it better happen sooner so that the boundaries are well-established among all members of society. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Transhumanist \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fzoltan-istvan-and-the-jesus-singularity\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Zoltan Istvan told us\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that the question is not how technology changes sexuality, but whether sexuality can survive technology. He doesn’t think it will. Sexuality, like all social rituals, is something that will not be needed in a world where offspring are born in a test tube or where the idea of having offspring is abandoned altogether.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On our end, we think that society, sexuality and technology should find a common ground. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We should teach \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">younger generations\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> how to love, how to feel empathetic towards others, how to form long-lasting bonds; while also figuring out what place technology might get in our lives and sexuality. To preserve the core of being a human, we should do that soon. After all, what remains when the most precious human interactions – touching another human being with intimacy, care, and empathy – lose their authenticity and are completely replaced by robots and virtual reality?\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"10px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>At The Medical Futurist, we are building a community for making a bold vision about the future of healthcare reality today.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dr. Bertalan Mesko, PhD, the Director of The Medical Futurist Institute, launched The Medical Futurist to help individuals, companies, and governments understand how digital health technologies bring healthcare into the 21st century.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">\u003Cem>“Digital health technologies empower patients to become proactive in their life; empower medical professionals to do their job being supported by advanced technologies, and companies and policymakers to make better decisions about their future.” – Dr. Bertalan Meskó\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To support this transformation, Dr. Meskó and The Medical Futurist team is working relentlessly analyzing the latest trends in digital health and bringing insights to the 800,000+ readers and followers of our publications, along these principles:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: #e71d3299;\">\u003Cstrong>The Medical Futurist is a place to learn, not a place for advertising\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fspan>. The Medical Futurist team is working to bring you unlimited access to reliable, neutral information, that is free from the influence of vendors and companies.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: #e71d3299;\">\u003Cstrong>Unlike many others, we keep 99% of The Medical Futurist content open for all readers\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fspan>, regardless of where they live or what they can afford to pay. We do this because we believe in information equality, where everyone deserves to read accurate news and thoughtful analysis.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>For 2021, we commit to another year of high-impact reporting that helps people navigate the jungle of digital health and to see where it is heading. With no shareholders or billionaire owners, we set our own agenda and provide unbiased insights that are free from commercial and political influence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you’d like to support this mission, we invite you to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">join The Medical Futurist Patreon Community\u003C\u002Fa>. A community of empowered patients, future-oriented healthcare professionals, concerned health policymakers, sensible health tech developers, and enthusiastic medical students. If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our research and sustains our future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">\u003Cstrong style=\"background-color: #e71d3299; color: #000;\">Click here to support The Medical Futurist from as little as $3\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa> – it only takes a minute. Thank you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Ftbody>\n\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"rendered":1802,"protected":16},"\u003Cp>Long-distance hugs; virtual reality porn stars; technosexuals living with automated dolls; you might have caught such news snippets online, but you’ll have to get used […]\u003C\u002Fp>\n",32755,{"_acf_changed":16,"footnotes":64},[1806,542,68,5,173,1439],6479,[91,1808,86,972,1809,89,691,1810,1811,79,1812,92,288,1813,1814,1815,1442,1816,1817,1818,1819,1820,1821,1822],6671,6675,6677,832,6679,6681,6683,6685,6687,6665,6689,6667,167,6669,545,[1682,294],[],[301,1826,1827,103,1329,979,104,1448,1690,113],1725,1853,[1829,53,116,117,118,119,120,1830,569,121,122,308,1457,144,1831,139,982,1832,142,724,1833,1834,132,1835,145,315,1836,1837,1838,1459,1839,1840,1841,1842,1843,1844,1845,1716,320],"post-17353","category-covid-19","tag-gatebox","tag-alexa","tag-loneliness-epidemic","tag-porn","tag-ferly","tag-sam-shah","tag-numan","tag-dr-ian-pearson","tag-davecat","tag-sextech","tag-istvan-zoltan","tag-hugshirt","tag-ces","tag-kissenger","tag-sensors",{"id":1803,"alt_text":64,"caption":64,"description":1847,"media_type":149,"media_details":1848,"post":1865,"source_url":1866},"Long-distance hugs; virtual reality porn stars; technosexuals living with automated dolls – discover the technological transformation of sex.",{"width":325,"height":326,"file":1849,"sizes":1850,"image_meta":1864},"2021\u002F02\u002Ftmf_article_246-01.png",{"medium":1851,"large":1854,"thumbnail":1857,"medium_large":1860,"1536x1536":1861},{"file":1852,"width":179,"height":180,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1853},"tmf_article_246-01-370x208.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F02\u002Ftmf_article_246-01-370x208.png",{"file":1855,"width":182,"height":183,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1856},"tmf_article_246-01-768x432.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F02\u002Ftmf_article_246-01-768x432.png",{"file":1858,"width":177,"height":177,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1859},"tmf_article_246-01-150x150.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F02\u002Ftmf_article_246-01-150x150.png",{"file":1855,"width":182,"height":183,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1856},{"file":1862,"width":342,"height":343,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1863},"tmf_article_246-01-1536x864.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F02\u002Ftmf_article_246-01-1536x864.png",{"aperture":188,"credit":64,"camera":64,"caption":64,"created_timestamp":188,"copyright":64,"focal_length":188,"iso":188,"shutter_speed":188,"title":64,"orientation":188},32713,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F02\u002Ftmf_article_246-01.png",{"related_posts":16,"related_posts_footer":1868,"cta_type":348,"cta_color":64,"subtitle":64,"related_books":1871},[1869,1870,1416],31349,31879,[1872,768],24757,{"yoast_wpseo_title":1874,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":1847,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":1796},"The Technological Future Of Sexuality And Sexual Health - The Medical Futurist",{"self":1876,"collection":1881,"about":1883,"author":1885,"replies":1887,"version-history":1890,"predecessor-version":1894,"wp:featuredmedia":1898,"wp:attachment":1901,"wp:term":1904,"curies":1915},[1877],{"href":1878,"targetHints":1879},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F17353",{"allow":1880},[27],[1882],{"href":220},[1884],{"href":223},[1886],{"embeddable":41,"href":226},[1888],{"embeddable":41,"href":1889},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=17353",[1891],{"count":1892,"href":1893},28,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F17353\u002Frevisions",[1895],{"id":1896,"href":1897},33453,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F17353\u002Frevisions\u002F33453",[1899],{"embeddable":41,"href":1900},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F32755",[1902],{"href":1903},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=17353",[1905,1907,1909,1911,1913],{"taxonomy":11,"embeddable":41,"href":1906},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=17353",{"taxonomy":248,"embeddable":41,"href":1908},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=17353",{"taxonomy":251,"embeddable":41,"href":1910},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=17353",{"taxonomy":254,"embeddable":41,"href":1912},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=17353",{"taxonomy":257,"embeddable":41,"href":1914},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=17353",[1916],{"name":39,"href":40,"templated":41},{"id":1918,"date":1919,"date_gmt":1920,"guid":1921,"modified":1923,"modified_gmt":1924,"slug":1925,"status":52,"type":53,"link":1926,"title":1927,"content":1929,"excerpt":1931,"author":232,"featured_media":1933,"comment_status":63,"ping_status":63,"sticky":41,"template":64,"format":65,"meta":1934,"categories":1935,"tags":1936,"project_category":1939,"contact_email_category":1940,"yst_prominent_words":1941,"class_list":1962,"better_featured_image":1966,"acf":1989,"yoast_meta":1993,"_links":1995},29773,"2020-09-01T10:00:00","2020-09-01T08:00:00",{"rendered":1922},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?post_id=29773&_wpnonce=6f696e847e&status=auto-draft&type=post","2020-08-31T10:16:39","2020-08-31T08:16:39","the-future-of-prosthetics-depends-on-a-i","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-future-of-prosthetics-depends-on-a-i",{"rendered":1928},"The Future Of Prosthetics Depends On A.I.",{"rendered":1930,"protected":16},"\n\u003Cp>To the \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Faccessprosthetics.com\u002F15-limb-loss-statistics-may-surprise\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">1 million global new amputees yearly\u003C\u002Fa> (that’s one amputation every 30 second), the loss of a limb means that they have to adapt to a new world. Take India, one of the world’s most populated countries, for example. Only \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Feconomictimes.indiatimes.com\u002Fnews\u002Fpolitics-and-nation\u002Fonly-3-per-cent-of-buildings-accessible-for-disabled\u002Farticleshow\u002F63104371.cms\">3% o\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Feconomictimes.indiatimes.com\u002Fnews\u002Fpolitics-and-nation\u002Fonly-3-per-cent-of-buildings-accessible-for-disabled\u002Farticleshow\u002F63104371.cms\" target=\"_blank\">f\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Feconomictimes.indiatimes.com\u002Fnews\u002Fpolitics-and-nation\u002Fonly-3-per-cent-of-buildings-accessible-for-disabled\u002Farticleshow\u002F63104371.cms\"> its buildings\u003C\u002Fa> are adapted for accessibility, while the country counts \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fqz.com\u002Findia\u002F1769396\u002Fai-is-bringing-new-life-to-artificial-limbs-for-indias-amputees\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">more than half a million amputees\u003C\u002Fa>. As part of this new adaptation process, amputees succumb to further injuries. Experts estimate that amputees \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.medtechdive.com\u002Fnews\u002Fhow-ai-and-machine-learning-are-changing-prosthetics\u002F550788\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">fall at about 200 times\u003C\u002Fa> the rate of healthy individuals; and seek medical attention comparable to the institutionalised elderly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>With aging populations, increased incidence of vascular diseases and trauma that lead to amputations, those numbers are likely to increase worldwide. Some countries like the U.S. could see their number of amputees \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.medtechdive.com\u002Fnews\u002Fhow-ai-and-machine-learning-are-changing-prosthetics\u002F550788\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">nearly doubled by 2050\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002FGyörgy-Lévay-768x432.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-29775\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002FGyörgy-Lévay-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002FGyörgy-Lévay-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002FGyörgy-Lévay.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>György Lévay , Research Manager at Infinite Biomedical Technologies\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>But advances in prosthetics are helping to improve that world for amputees, even if the world around them does not necessarily improve.  And these developments are happening fast. To get a clearer picture of what lies ahead, whom better to ask than a prosthetic wearer who develops robotic prostheses?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As such, we turned to  \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fhub.jhu.edu\u002Fmagazine\u002F2016\u002Fwinter\u002Ffoot-operated-video-game-controller\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">György Lévay\u003C\u002Fa>, Research Manager at \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.i-biomed.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Infinite Biomedical Technologies\u003C\u002Fa>, who shared his insights into the present and future of prosthetics with us. From brain-controlled prostheses through A.I.-powered ones to supplementing healthy individuals with additional limbs, that future sounds like a wild one. So strap up as we dive into the latest advancements and into what’s next in the field of prosthetics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>From steampunk Egyptian mummies to cyberpunk brain-controlled prosthetics \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Back in 2011, archeologists unearthed one of the oldest known prosthetic device; a wooden toe \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.com\u002Fnews\u002Feducation-19802539\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">buried with Egyptian mummies\u003C\u002Fa> some 3,000 years ago. While aesthetically it packs a steampunk look, this artificial toe was far from being a cosmetic item. After testing replicas, researchers found that they were indeed practical devices that helped in walking. While throughout the millennia the materials have changed, prosthetics only evolved in the recent decades with the advent of robotic prostheses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002FEgypt-Mummys-prosthesis.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-29777\"\u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>The prosthetic device found with Egyptian mummies. \u003Cbr>Source: www.world-archaeology.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nature.com\u002Farticles\u002Fnature06996\" target=\"_blank\">a seminal 2008 paper\u003C\u002Fa>, researchers described how monkeys were able to control a mechanised arm with their brain activity. Controlling the prosthetic limb via electrodes implanted in their brains, it even allowed them to feed themselves fruits; that was \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.newscientist.com\u002Farticle\u002Fmg21028105-000-mind-controlled-prosthetics-to-help-amputees\u002F#\" target=\"_blank\">a first\u003C\u002Fa> with brain-controlled prostheses. Developments in subsequent years inched closer to human dexterity like \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.newscientist.com\u002Farticle\u002Fmg21028105-000-mind-controlled-prosthetics-to-help-amputees\u002F#\" target=\"_blank\">the Modular Prosthetic Limb\u003C\u002Fa> from 2011; and in 2020, patients with mind-controlled arm prosthesis were \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.sciencedaily.com\u002Freleases\u002F2020\u002F04\u002F200430110321.htm\" target=\"_blank\">able to experience sensations of touch\u003C\u002Fa> thanks to a new implant system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>With developments along those lines, it seemed like the future of this technology depended on battery life and robotic advancements. Now the narrative shifted to focus on how good of an artificial intelligence (A.I.) we can develop for prostheses. Indeed, A.I. could very well shape this field’s future. “In one way or another A.I. will be a part of advanced prostheses in the future,” György Lévay tells us. “Processing the amount of data running between our brain and limbs will require “smarter and smarter” algorithms as the technology advances.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>If you thought that the prosthetics field got all sci-fi with cyberpunk brain-controls, hold on as there’s more. Enter the age of the smart prosthesis as engineers couple A.I. with artificial limbs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>The age of smart prosthetics\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The basis of incorporating A.I. in robotic prostheses is that the algorithm interprets nerve signals from the patient’s muscles that will allow for the prosthesis to be controlled more precisely. “A.I. has become a cornerstone of all externally powered (motor driven) upper limb prostheses R&D, but has been difficult to apply to lower limb prostheses,” Lévay says. However, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fstm.sciencemag.org\u002Fcontent\u002F12\u002F533\u002Feaay2857\" target=\"_blank\">a study published in Science Translational Medicine\u003C\u002Fa> by a team of University of Michigan in March 2020 documents a new method to incorporate the technology with more types of prostheses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Their new technique, based on regenerative peripheral nerve interface (RPNI), has surgeons use a small piece of muscle and wrap it around the end of the amputated nerve to produce amplified signals. Computational scientists on the team then apply machine learning algorithms to turn the signals into fine movements in a prosthetic. “The cool thing about this surgery is that it works on any type of amputation,” Cynthia Chestek, an author of the new study, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.statnews.com\u002F2020\u002F03\u002F04\u002Fsurgery-ai-give-amputees-more-precise-control-of-prosthetic-hand\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">told STAT\u003C\u002Fa>. Participants were even able to use this smart prosthetic on their first try, Chestek added. They were able to perform fine motor controls such as picking up small toy blocks, making a fist and pinching fingers together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"463\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002FAI-prosthetic-768x463.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-29779\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002FAI-prosthetic-768x463.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002FAI-prosthetic.jpg 1444w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>A participant from the RPNI study uses his mind and A.I. to control a prosthetic hand. \u003Cbr>Source: https:\u002F\u002Fwww.technologyreview.com\u002F\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“RPNI are being investigated heavily and have good potential to allow for more complex control capabilities,” confirms Lévay. Coupling A.I. with the process can give fine motor controls back to amputees. But he is quick to bring us back to the current state of affairs. “However these signals are relatively weak and currently require intramuscular electromyography (iEMG) sensors to be implanted. iEMG is a complicated, expensive and not yet widespread technology, which complicates the usability of RPNIs”. In fact, there are still several hurdles to be overcome before smart artificial limbs are commonplace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Current limitations to the mass adoption of A.I. prosthetics\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Firstly, many of the developments in the prosthetics field are proofs of concept. The A. I. prosthesis from the University of Michigan depends on a wired connection to a computer. “Everything that we’ve done so far has been six feet away from a computer cart [and people come in once or twice a week for the trial],” explained Cynthia Chestek. “We want people to be able to do this with an implantable device so we can move away from the cart”. There’s still work to be done before this concept leaves the lab.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Once it does leave the lab, the smart prosthesis will face another slowdown as it transitions to a company and seeks approvals from regulators like the FDA. Along with this transition comes the cost factor that could limit their adoption. “The use of A. I. increases the cost of a prosthetic device significantly (on the order of tens of thousands of dollars),” György Lévay tells The Medical Futurist. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F02\u002F3d-printing-prosthetics-768x432.jpeg\" alt=\"3D Printing Prosthetics\" class=\"wp-image-15423\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F02\u002F3d-printing-prosthetics-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F02\u002F3d-printing-prosthetics-370x208.jpeg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F02\u002F3d-printing-prosthetics-512x288.jpeg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F02\u002F3d-printing-prosthetics-444x250.jpeg 444w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F02\u002F3d-printing-prosthetics.jpeg 870w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Source: https:\u002F\u002F3dsourced.com\u002F\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>This also extends to insurance structures. Artificial limb companies must demonstrate that value proposition so as to expand access to these devices. “The risks are in working with insurance companies to reimburse for these types of devices that are already very expensive and have a high degree of abandonment,” \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.medtechdive.com\u002Fnews\u002Fhow-ai-and-machine-learning-are-changing-prosthetics\u002F550788\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">said Robert Armiger\u003C\u002Fa>, project manager for amputee research at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Lab. “Insurance companies say, ‘we’re spending this much money on this device and people don’t wear it, and now you’re asking us to spend more money on a more advanced technology.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Furthermore, there’s the science behind it all to consider. “Controlling a limb is very complicated; and we still have a limited understanding of how our brain manages to do it exactly,” György Lévay tells us. “The quality and complexity of the data; our lack of understanding of how exactly feedback mechanisms work in the human nervous system; and the uniqueness of individual neurological systems make it very difficult to train A. I. algorithms to predict human intent.” It is not only an engineering issue; it is a basic science issue, he adds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>A robotic hand(some) future\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Without any doubt, there’s promise for amputees with advances in robotics, machine learning and prosthetics. With time, the costs of components will go down and these technologies will become integral parts of artificial limbs. These developments we hear of are incremental changes that will add up to improve future artificial limbs; improvements that will turn them into truly artificially intelligent limbs. We’re still years from seeing A. I.-limbs being commonplace but it’s a time to look forward to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Given how A. I.-powered prostheses, with their abilities to be upgraded both on the hardware and software fronts, hold the potential to be superior to biological arms, we asked György Lévay if he thinks that such artificial limbs could be used in the future to augment the capacities of manual workers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002Frobotic-arm-prostheses-768x480.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-29785\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002Frobotic-arm-prostheses-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002Frobotic-arm-prostheses.jpg 1250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Source: https:\u002F\u002Fwww.techinasia.com\u002F\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“I don’t believe we will ever see a time when people replace their biological limbs with mechanical ones,” he replied. “Primarily because our brain’s plasticity can support up to eight additional limbs; so why cut off anything if you can just add? Also, by the time we reach the point of scientific and technological advancement where it might be worth replacing a healthy limb (which is very far off), we would have to have the ability to augment that biological limb with exoskeletons or implants. However, by that time if we still have manual labourers that will mean humanity is in big trouble.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"rendered":1932,"protected":16},"\u003Cp>To the 1 million global new amputees yearly (that’s one amputation every 30 second), the loss of a limb means that they have to adapt […]\u003C\u002Fp>\n",29823,{"_acf_changed":16,"footnotes":64},[1317,5,173],[1560,1937,1938],610,1498,[],[],[1942,1943,1944,1945,1946,1947,1948,1949,1950,1951,1952,1953,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961],5713,5757,5719,5759,5723,5761,5725,5763,5729,5765,5741,5779,5747,5781,5749,5783,5751,5785,5753,5755,[1963,53,116,117,118,119,120,1334,122,308,1572,1964,1965],"post-29773","tag-prosthetic-leg","tag-robotics-in-healthcare",{"id":1933,"alt_text":1967,"caption":64,"description":64,"media_type":149,"media_details":1968,"post":1918,"source_url":1988},"artificial intelligence and prosthetics",{"width":325,"height":326,"file":1969,"sizes":1970,"image_meta":1987},"2020\u002F09\u002F199_tmf-01.png",{"medium":1971,"large":1974,"thumbnail":1977,"medium_large":1980,"1536x1536":1981,"2048x2048":1984},{"file":1972,"width":179,"height":180,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1973},"199_tmf-01-370x208.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F09\u002F199_tmf-01-370x208.png",{"file":1975,"width":182,"height":183,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1976},"199_tmf-01-768x432.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F09\u002F199_tmf-01-768x432.png",{"file":1978,"width":177,"height":177,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1979},"199_tmf-01-150x150.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F09\u002F199_tmf-01-150x150.png",{"file":1975,"width":182,"height":183,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1976},{"file":1982,"width":342,"height":343,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1983},"199_tmf-01-1536x864.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F09\u002F199_tmf-01-1536x864.png",{"file":1985,"width":605,"height":606,"mime-type":331,"source_url":1986},"199_tmf-01-2048x1152.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F09\u002F199_tmf-01-2048x1152.png",{"aperture":188,"credit":64,"camera":64,"caption":64,"created_timestamp":188,"copyright":64,"focal_length":188,"iso":188,"shutter_speed":188,"title":64,"orientation":188},"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F09\u002F199_tmf-01.png",{"cta_type":348,"cta_color":64,"subtitle":64,"related_books":1990,"related_posts_footer":1991,"related_posts":16},[1488,351,350],[1065,1992,1244],15101,{"yoast_wpseo_title":1994,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":64,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":1926},"The Future Of Prosthetics Depends On A.I. - The Medical Futurist",{"self":1996,"collection":2001,"about":2003,"author":2005,"replies":2007,"version-history":2010,"predecessor-version":2013,"wp:featuredmedia":2017,"wp:attachment":2020,"wp:term":2023,"curies":2034},[1997],{"href":1998,"targetHints":1999},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F29773",{"allow":2000},[27],[2002],{"href":220},[2004],{"href":223},[2006],{"embeddable":41,"href":492},[2008],{"embeddable":41,"href":2009},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=29773",[2011],{"count":232,"href":2012},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F29773\u002Frevisions",[2014],{"id":2015,"href":2016},29835,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F29773\u002Frevisions\u002F29835",[2018],{"embeddable":41,"href":2019},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F29823",[2021],{"href":2022},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=29773",[2024,2026,2028,2030,2032],{"taxonomy":11,"embeddable":41,"href":2025},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=29773",{"taxonomy":248,"embeddable":41,"href":2027},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=29773",{"taxonomy":251,"embeddable":41,"href":2029},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=29773",{"taxonomy":254,"embeddable":41,"href":2031},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=29773",{"taxonomy":257,"embeddable":41,"href":2033},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=29773",[2035],{"name":39,"href":40,"templated":41},{"id":2037,"date":2038,"date_gmt":2039,"guid":2040,"modified":2042,"modified_gmt":2043,"slug":2044,"status":52,"type":53,"link":2045,"title":2046,"content":2048,"excerpt":2050,"author":61,"featured_media":2052,"comment_status":63,"ping_status":63,"sticky":41,"template":64,"format":65,"meta":2053,"categories":2054,"tags":2055,"project_category":2061,"contact_email_category":2062,"yst_prominent_words":2063,"class_list":2068,"better_featured_image":2075,"acf":2098,"yoast_meta":2099,"_links":2102},23848,"2019-05-11T14:00:53","2019-05-11T12:00:53",{"rendered":2041},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?post_id=23848&_wpnonce=e67ce0fd0c&status=auto-draft&type=post","2023-11-02T06:58:59","2023-11-02T05:58:59","zoltan-istvan-and-the-jesus-singularity","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fzoltan-istvan-and-the-jesus-singularity",{"rendered":2047},"The Jesus Singularity And The End of Sex As We Know It?",{"rendered":2049,"protected":16},"\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"5px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp style=\"color: #555;font-size: 12px;line-height: 14px\">THIS ARTICLE HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED SINCE 2019. THE INFORMATION SHARED IN THE ARTICLE WAS ACCURATE AT THE TIME OF ITS PUBLICATION, BUT IT MAY BE OUT OF DATE NOW. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fmagazine\">BROWSE OUR LATEST ARTICLES HERE\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd> \u003C\u002Ftr>\u003C\u002Ftbody>\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"#trans\">Transhumanism and human limitations\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"#tech\">Technology NOT to develop\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"#cyborg\">How to define a cyborg?\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"#safe\">Could transhumanism pose a threat to safety?\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"#health\">Do we need to destruct current healthcare systems altogether?\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"#china\">The relation between government and technology: the Chinese social credit system\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"#gene\">Chinese scientists and gene editing\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"#live\">What if we all lived for 120-130 years?\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"#birth\">How will giving birth change in the future?\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"#sex\">Will sex disappear in the coming years?\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"#nightmare\">What is your worst nightmare scenario?\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"#species\">Will we become an interplanetary species?\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Our dystopian future might be filled with religious A.I. developed by the U.S. military, we might see the end of sexual activity and giving birth in a traditional sense. That’s some of the nightmare scenarios that Zoltan Istvan, transhumanist, futurist, and speaker drew up in the latest piece of our Great Thinkers interview series. However, before anyone starts to fall into despair, he enumerated countless examples of how technology can upgrade humanity to live longer, healthier and better lives. Robotic prosthetics, gene editing, and A.I. in moderation could be the key to a good life in the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ca id=\"trans\">\u003C\u002Fa>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">You consider yourself a member of the transhumanist movement. When we read the definition, transhumanism means a class of philosophies of life that seek the continuation and acceleration of the evolution of intelligent life beyond its current human form and human limitations by means of science and technology, guided by life-promoting principles and values. So, when people ask me whether I consider myself a transhumanist I always mention that, while I’m not sure I can be categorized as such, whenever I read the main missions of it, I can never disagree with any of those points. \u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Technology has become a very common part of\neveryday life: when you don’t know something, you Google it as naturally as\ndrinking water when you’re thirsty. But pushing human limitations, that could\nbe a different level. What do you think the threshold is for people to feel\nthat it’s just becoming too much for them to consume?\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I think \u003Cstrong>generally speaking everybody wants better healthcare, better technology, and better science in their life, but yes, the million-dollar question is whether they would accept merging with machines as an eventual possibility.\u003C\u002Fstrong> And I would say the threshold is really when their physical appearance would start to change. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I’ve noticed people repeating that you can put technology inside your body so long as I fundamentally don’t feel like I’m a different person. I always say, do you want the functionality of the robotic arm and everyone says, ‘Oh, wouldn’t it be great if my arm was as strong as a robotic arm 10-20 years in the future?’ Everybody generally agrees on that but what they don’t agree on is the idea that they have something inhuman or unnatural attached to their bodies. So, I think that for a lot of people, it’s actually a visual, physical perspective that either keeps them away or makes them want to embrace these things. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>However,\nmost people would still say they’re against the modification of the human being\nnot because they’re against it on a philosophical premise but their physical\nand emotional reaction is like ‘Ugh! I don’t want to become that!’ It’s similar\nto \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fwhy-are-we-afraid-of-androids-but-love-humanoid-robots\">the\nuncanny valley in robotics\u003C\u002Fa> when all of a sudden you see a robot acting too\nhuman-like. All of a sudden you become freaked out because it is not supposed\nto happen that way. We have some sort of genetic makeup that turns us away from\nthe unnatural inside ourselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Thus, I know \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cnet.com\u002Fnews\u002Ftranshumanist-presidential-candidate-zoltan-istvan-promises-immortality\u002F\">from running a presidential campaign in 2016\u003C\u002Fa> that presentation is everything. If I say that the transhuman age is upon us, we’re going to become machines, everyone freaks out. If I tell everyone that we’re going to live 20-30 percent longer, to have a better life with our family members, none of us are going to die from terrible diseases and we can all reach the natural limits of our lifespan, these go over pretty well with just about everybody. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Transhumanism is still a controversial field exactly because its presentation is quite abrupt sometimes. It gives the impression that we are becoming A.I. or robots whereas really it is not so much like that. It’s rather that we’re using technology to enhance our lives as we have always done. It’s just getting a little bit more radical.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F05\u002FThe-Transhumanist-Candidate.jpg\" alt=\"Zoltan Istvan\" class=\"wp-image-23849\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ca id=\"tech\">\u003C\u002Fa>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">And what is too much for you personally when it\ncomes to the use of advanced technologies? Have you seen examples where you\nfelt ‘Ok, That is more than enough…’, we should definitely not do that.\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I believe \u003Cstrong>we should do everything in transhumanism with the sole exception of artificial intelligence. I’m worried about that. I, like some other futurists and experts out there, believe we should be very careful to invite an A.I. consciousness to planet Earth who will be smarter than us.\u003C\u002Fstrong> It would be almost like inviting aliens from another planet who have much more sophisticated technology than the inhabitants of planet Earth. If they choose to turn on us we can’t defend ourselves. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I\nbelieve we should do everything else. If that means growing a third arm through\ngenetic editing, living forever through different types of technologies, or\ngoing off the planet, that’s all wonderful stuff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Although we’re really going in the other direction it seems. What if A.I. becomes an integrated part of our lives through chatbots and algorithms by creating better treatments, and finding better answers for questions online? For whatever processes we have in life, we use some form of an A.I. even if that’s not artificial superintelligence. Do you see any red line for A.I. development which humanity shouldn’t cross?\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Well, unfortunately, the main issue with A.I. is going back to just simple economics. It’s the capitalistic drive that is pushing all these companies around the world to develop A.I. The same goes for governments worried about national security issues. Let’s say, God forbid, that North Korea achieves A.I. before the United States. That would change global politics overnight. I think the main point is that if we are going to develop a radical A.I. we also need to be connected to that AI. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>And of course, that’s where all these brand-new brain implant chips come into the picture. We now have two major companies in California – one by Elon Musk and the other by \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbryanjohnson.co\u002F\">Bryan Johnson\u003C\u002Fa> – working essentially on neuroprosthetics, which would make it possible for us to think in real-time with A.I. Now, we don’t actually have any proof that we can do that yet. \u003Cstrong>But if we are going to go down the road and develop artificial intelligence that is far smarter than the human species, we must be directly connected to it in order for our humanity, ourselves and the essence of our culture to also become the essence of that A.I. culture. Whether that actually works and whether that would remain the way we wanted it to go, that is a whole other question. \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I would still suggest that we actually introduce appropriate rules where we never let A.I. get smarter than us. At some point, governments around the world are going to have to do that. We are talking about something that is completely cataclysmic to the human species. I don’t think it’s worth it yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"341\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F03\u002Fgoogle-deepmind-artificial-intelligence-1-512x341.jpg\" alt=\"artificial intelligence brain\" class=\"wp-image-15295\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F03\u002Fgoogle-deepmind-artificial-intelligence-1-512x341.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F03\u002Fgoogle-deepmind-artificial-intelligence-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F03\u002Fgoogle-deepmind-artificial-intelligence-1-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F03\u002Fgoogle-deepmind-artificial-intelligence-1.jpg 870w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: https:\u002F\u002Fthefuturesagency.com\u002F\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ca id=\"cyborg\">\u003C\u002Fa>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Still, I hope that in about five years, I will\nhave an A.I. chatbot around me as a cognitive companion elevating work to a\nwhole new level. Would it make me a cyborg per se and if not, how do you define\nwhat a cyborg is when it comes to working or living with technologies?\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>If you could have that technology today, you could consider that cyborg life since technology, and the terms of how we actually define it, changes. The question really is, when do we enter the transhumanist era or have we already entered it? What constitutes a transhuman being? Does it mean that 10 percent of your internal parts are machines, or is it 50 percent? These things get defined often by media and often by academics and intellectuals. It’s really hard to say when something takes on a cyborg life. Especially, if it takes mass adaptation, then we wouldn’t consider it cyborg life, we would just consider it another aspect of humanity. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In this sense, \u003Cstrong>what happened to the human species when we all adopted cars? Did we all do something completely different? And the answer is, well not while everyone else was doing it. We just became humans with cars. \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>I think that, at some point, the real question with cyborgization is, how much it takes to become a truly transhumanist entity. And generally, I have said when your body is more than 50 percent synthetic or contains that many machine parts or something that is not human, not naturally biological, then you are a cyborg or a transhuman entity.\u003C\u002Fstrong> Until then you are still a good old-fashioned human being with added modifications. But if one day you leave your world completely, and descend into virtual reality, well that’s a bit different even if you have a human body. In this case, cyborgization is a little bit more difficult to determine. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When healthy people start asking for replacements or upgrades – let’s call them upgrades – medical professionals might reject it because that is not what the Hippocratic oath is about. You can’t harm healthy patients, and replacing healthy human flesh with technology might be considered as doing harm. What do you think would happen when medical professionals started rejecting these treatments or upgrades? Wouldn’t it open the gates to the black market in terms of freely bioprinted organs or robotic replacements?\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I believe the black market and also traveling outside of one’s location where some medicines and operations are to be found, is going to be commonplace. In addition, as genetic engineering takes off, and more power is put into the hands of citizen scientists who might be able to 3D print things in their house or use genetic editing tools to improve themselves, we are going to do these things ourselves. I have no doubt that that kind of market – I don’t know if it necessarily will be black though – will appear. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Moreover, if I can’t do an upgrade in the United States I will go to Taiwan, Honduras, or China. There will always be a marketplace because you have to realize that around the world, there are hundreds and hundreds of thousands of doctors, and they can say no to these radical surgeries, technologies all they want for whatever reasons, but in reality, the market will create openings for those who really want to have these types of enhancements and technologies in their bodies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>And if the doctors aren’t careful, they could also be replaced. \u003Cstrong>We are coming to a future where requiring a doctor is probably going to be less common, and in 20-24 years, there is a good chance that there will be a robot that can deliver babies at some point. My wife as an Ob\u002FGyn had to train for 19 years to do that. Thus, more and more people take medicine and health into their own hands, and there will be entities out there that will be able to make these dreams of modifying themselves true.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F05\u002FZoltanRoboBusiness.jpg\" alt=\"Zoltan Istvan\" class=\"wp-image-23850\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ca id=\"safe\">\u003C\u002Fa>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>When it comes to the use of these advanced technologies, governments usually – but sometimes even regulatory agencies – don’t understand how they work. What if people got access to those technologies before governments and before regulations would come into place? That would create chaos and that is the basis on which medical professionals I talk with arguing against transhumanism say that we have to keep these technologies, not in a cage, but in a safe way that allows us to make sure that those technologies that become accessible to patients are safe, regulated, and will not cause harm. How do you think transhumanism can change this way of thinking and can transhumanism really pose a threat to the safety and privacy of patients?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I do believe in the safety and privacy of patients but I also believe more in a kind of libertarian future, where we actually just have people who come up with ideas, such as bionic organs or whatnot, and grown, consenting adults try them out. I’m not a huge fan of a large number of governmental bodies approving or disapproving things. If I know that something is not government-approved then I know I have to be extra cautious, but I do believe that we should be able to have lots of things on the market and different types of stamps of approval. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Say this product is FDA-approved, but another one purely says on the box that it is a complete experiment. Then, people need to make choices on whether they take them. On social media and in the mainstream media, there is so much information out there now that you can get a good feeling really quickly about whether something works or not. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>This might not make\ndoctors who are scared of transhumanism very secure. They want only government-regulated,\ngovernment-approved procedures and drugs to be available but I actually believe\nmuch more in a free market. I can see a society that has different levels of\napprovals going on. And those people who are dying should have complete access\nto total experimentation on whatever level they want. If they only have thirty\ndays left to live it’s crazy that they can’t get drugs they might want to try\nbecause the government said it’s too dangerous for you. Well, they are going to\ndie in 30 days anyway. I think there could be different levels on how we look\nat devices and technologies and different types of medical surgeries and\nprocedures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>If I just have a medical condition I can live with but I want to improve it, I will probably do something much more conservative because I don’t want to rock the boat – per se – on my body, I just want to improve my health. I think those are the kinds of levels we can have across the medical industry. On the one hand, the tone of experimentation woke up the entire medical field in general, and on the other hand, we could also always rely on the kind of more conservative, government-regulated types of procedures and drugs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ca id=\"health\">\u003C\u002Fa>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>What you are saying means that these individuals, either through their own education system or through massively open online courses will become so educated that they will become the guardians of their own health management. At the same time, the same vision can come true not only if people become more educated but also if people lose trust in the healthcare system and start looking for other options. Do you think that the current healthcare system has to be destructed altogether and people are going to have to look for their own individual solutions in healthcare or can we tweak the system in a way that makes finding solutions faster while retaining the safety guaranteed by a regulatory umbrella?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>On the one hand, we\nhave traditional, evidence-based, modern medicine. On the other hand, we have\nall these advanced technologies like A.I. assistance or genetic editing which\nyou can do at home or different types of radical treatments that scientists can\ndo. I think what is going to happen is that biohacking is going to meet the\ntraditional medical world somewhere in the middle. Already by now, we have\nbetter access to understanding our ailments because we are, for example,\nwearing a watch that detects different types of problems inside our bodies, or\nthe iPhone now has a scanner that can detect if you have a tumor somewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In addition, we have A.I.\nGoogle systems that are saying ‘Oh, your breathing is not the same today!\nWhat’s the problem?’ When you have all these things combined, we save visits to\nthe doctors and then we can say ‘Is there something that I can do upfront?’ If\nit is not too serious, just go with traditional medicine. But if it’s a very\nserious endeavor and maybe traditional medicine already failed, that is where I\nthink a lot of the citizen scientists and biohacking can start to help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Especially, if \u003Cstrong>the government is too slow to move forward. Transhumanism sees that as a central problem. Microprocessors are doubling on speed in processing ability every 12-18-24 months basically. Technology is moving swiftly, including the medical field. However, we as humans must understand that Congress and governments just simply can’t keep up with it – but citizens can. And citizens can go online and take different kinds of surveys, do their own research and figure out how to make medicine better for themselves. So, I think in an ideal world there is a middle ground where the biohacker transhumanist community merges with traditional medicine and says, well, if traditional medicine didn’t work let’s go for the more experimental method and see what happens.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ca id=\"china\">\u003C\u002Fa>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Touching upon the issue of technology and\ngovernment, what do you think about China’s recent efforts to create a social\ncredit system? Individuals can lose social points by not paying their debts or\nlosing their job. By losing credits, you can reach a certain threshold after\nwhich you are not allowed to use buses, airplanes, and so on. How do you see\nthat kind of governmental effort to bring technology into the everyday life of\npeople?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>In general, I don’t want the government to invade my privacy and I don’t want the government to make wrong judgments. But honestly, the government is just doing what everyone else is already doing. \u003C\u002Fstrong>When I discover a person, the very first thing I do is Google them, then I go to their Twitter account, then I visit their Facebook page to look at their posts. If someone comes to interview me, I do this all the time to make sure I’m not interviewing with some freakish person who is going to get me in trouble. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Governments are just\ntrying to do the same. Now, maybe the one in China is a bit authoritarian at\nthe moment, but let’s give it some time and see what the real ramifications\nare. Currently, that’s not something I would want in America, and I’m glad\nChina is testing it. But at the same time, I’m willing to have an open enough\nmind to say that in the future, it’s kind of good to have some types of\noversight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>One of the most\ncontroversial things that I have ever said as a \nspeaker and futurist, is the idea that we should be licensing parents. It\ncould help humanity; it could help more people reach adulthood as truly\nthriving human beings not living on government systems, on welfare and all\nthese other things. You know, some oversight can be good. And again, while I am\nnot saying that I want this for America in any way and I’m glad China is doing\nit first, it’s something interesting to watch, and I am keeping my eye on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ca id=\"gene\">\u003C\u002Fa>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Some time ago, China made headlines with another technological breakthrough as well. Chinese scientists used the CRISPR gene editing technology to edit the genome of unborn twins who were allegedly born later. Of course, we don’t know for sure. What’s your view on gene editing and using CRISPR for shaping the features – physical or any other kind – of babies?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>To begin with, \u003Cstrong>for me it was very sad to see that everyone called for a moratorium on gene\nediting just because one Chinese scientist tried to do a little bit of good on\ntwo children in the world. I completely call for the opposite. I think the man\nis a hero and he should be paraded around like a hero. These are great things. \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>We are entering an age when we can actually\nstart eliminating harmful things from our body or adding things that make our\nlives better. We should embrace it as a society, but it is surprising to me\nthat there isn’t that much funding allocated into this field to make truly\ntranshuman entities. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Also, as an American, hat’s off to the Chinese for being the first ones doing this. I’m glad China has taken the lead on this. I wish the US could but we are never going to do so as long as we have such religious people sitting in high places, and we have the kind of conservatism that is running across our science industry. China doesn’t seem to have that and they seem to be able to take a lot more of these risks. I have no doubt that they are going to lead the genetic editing revolution forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"341\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F10\u002FGenetics-512x341.jpg\" alt=\"genomic data\" class=\"wp-image-22218\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F10\u002FGenetics-512x341.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F10\u002FGenetics-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F10\u002FGenetics.jpg 870w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.vox.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ca id=\"live\">\u003C\u002Fa>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>With gene editing and other biotechnologies, the human lifespan will most\nprobably get stretched out in the future. What do you think will happen to\nsociety when we start living really long lives, over 100-120-130 years? At the\nmoment, the biological threshold is around 125, but what if we start living\nsuch long lives? How do you think society will change?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>To begin with, I think when we think about\nliving longer, we can’t say we will keep on living like human beings and our\nbrains will be just three pounds of meat on our shoulders. We are going to\nbecome transhuman entities. If we can live 50 years longer from today, we have\nprobably already started to go down a very serious path of merging with\nmachines, having robotic arms, having bionic organs inside us, having our\nbrains connected already to an A.I. or different types of machines intelligence\nout there. So we won’t necessarily be human beings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>When we look at what the world is going to be\nlike, it is very important that we don’t look at it through our eyes today. We\nmust look at it as cyborgs in the most real sense and then anything will be\npossible because once we connect our brains to machine intelligence, all of a\nsudden who knows what our conscience will be like? We might become dramatically\nsmarter than today. We might become thousands of times smarter within a 5-10-year\nperiod. I’ve already said that having children is probably something that is\ngoing to die off. I think marrying is something that is going to die off, too. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>I wouldn’t be surprised if countries themselves dissolved or merged entirely or people became a sort of nations onto themselves. I don’t see countries like the US or China surviving because there might not be any real reason for their existence in the way there was before. I hope it is not corporations that take over but the point is that as we become cyborgs and real transhuman entities, we might see many of the institutions fall away. Those institutions were based on us being two-meter tall human beings that have flesh and carry around their brains on their shoulders\u003C\u002Fstrong>. We might be something very different and we are going to need brand-new institutions to support that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ca id=\"birth\">\u003C\u002Fa>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>How do you think giving birth will change in decades from now?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>If we can live another 50 years, we will almost certainly be able to live thousands of years because every year that we live we sort of gain in technology. So, when you talk about giving birth if you live a thousand years, the question really is, when do you want a child? And if you know that if you cannot just have a child but you can have a clone of yourself, maybe even thousands of clones of yourself, do you do that? Do you actually have a spouse? What if you can change your gender? What if there are other types of genders we haven’t even thought about? \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Within 50 years we basically enter the Star Wars universe where you can do\ngenetic modification and become basically any type of entity. The question is,\ndo you want to even have a human child when you can have a child from some\nother planet whose brain is a thousand times smarter? \u003C\u002Fstrong>I know these questions sound crazy but that\nmight be the reality based on the trajectory, on the micro-process of how fast\nthings are evolving and the history of technology. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>This is where we could be in 50 years, so I don’t know whether we will even have children by then. In the next century, we might become just organized quantum intelligence scanning the cosmos at some point. How many children are a biological phenomenon? We have hormones in us and the design says go out, have sex and have children. But when you are not going to have to die, when your brain is tied to a computer, when you have all these different things going on, we may find that we don’t even care about our hormones any longer and they will not be as influential as they once were.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"288\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F04\u002Fgiving-birth-with-vr-512x288.png\" alt=\"virtual reality during childbirth\" class=\"wp-image-17742\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F04\u002Fgiving-birth-with-vr-512x288.png 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F04\u002Fgiving-birth-with-vr-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F04\u002Fgiving-birth-with-vr-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F04\u002Fgiving-birth-with-vr-444x250.png 444w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F04\u002Fgiving-birth-with-vr.png 870w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ca id=\"sex\">\u003C\u002Fa>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>So, do you think it will also change sexuality? I conducted interviews with\ntechnosexuals who lived with technical entities or married holograms, and I\nguess using such advanced technology in our lives might also lead to changes in\nhow we define sexuality.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I think sexuality could be one of the very first\nthings to fall off the cliff entirely. In fact, there have been several studies\nsuggesting this is already on the way in several places because everybody is on\ntheir phones and everyone is doing something else. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>But ultimately speaking, sexuality is based on\nhormones and a bunch of impulses and there will be a lot of ways to control\nthose impulses in the next 10-20-30 years. The idea of going out and having sex\nwith a member of the opposite sex to have a baby could become completely\nobsolete. \u003Cstrong>In 5-10-15 years, we are going\nto have the ability to use skin cells and convert them into stem cells which\ncan then be converted into sperm. You can do that with a partner if you want,\nor you can do that by yourself. You can convert your skin cell into both sperm\nand eggs, and then in the test tube, you can make your own baby. Some of this\ntechnology has already been proven to work. They have done experiments on rats.\n\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>When this hits the US market in 5-10-15 years, the question will be, will we even need to have sex in any way to reproduce and how will this affect us psychologically?\u003C\u002Fstrong> There are always different sensations we might be able to keep by having different implants in our head or different kinds of drugs that we come up with. Maybe we can create sensations that are more embracing, more influential, simply better than sex. And if we have those things, will sex completely disappear? The answer is yes, it probably will. Especially if we don’t need it for reproductive reasons. I think the future of sex is pretty dark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"288\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fsex-robot-512x288.jpg\" alt=\"Future of Sex\" class=\"wp-image-17357\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fsex-robot-512x288.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fsex-robot-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fsex-robot-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fsex-robot-445x250.jpg 445w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fsex-robot.jpg 770w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.zdnet.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ca id=\"nightmare\">\u003C\u002Fa>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Staying on the dark side, what is your worst nightmare, the epic nightmare that you can think of when it comes to the use of technologies and how will it change society and individuals?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The darkest nightmare that I have is the one that we let A.I. develop, probably by the military. I do some consulting for the United States Navy, and I can tell you there is a lot of money going into A.I. development from a national security perspective these days. So the A.I. is then created by the military, and of course, if it is created in the USA, at this point it looks pretty possible that that could happen. I have asked military officers these questions too and one of my questions was ‘Are you going to put any kind of religious idea into artificial intelligence?’ \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Because after all, the United States is in many\ndegrees a very religious nation. I mean our President believes in God, all nine\nSupreme Court justices believe in God, every single member of Congress at least\nclaims to believe in God. \u003Cstrong>So, if the\nmilitary, driven by the United States government, is developing an A.I. will it\nhave let’s say a Judeo-Christian kind of influence opposed to some other kind\nof influence? Islamic or Buddhist or something different? \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>And the answer has been, yes, we probably give it some type of inclination to be more Abrahamic or Judeo-Christian as opposed to something, let’s say that is Islamic or jihadist hypothetically. This is incredibly scary,\u003C\u002Fstrong> so I have written a short story for Vice called \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.vice.com\u002Fen_us\u002Farticle\u002Fxyg4va\u002Fthe-jesus-singularity\">The Jesus Singularity\u003C\u002Fa> where this A.I. takes some of these ideas, it decides that he is the second coming and goes crazy through the religious indoctrination that was programmed into it. This is my greatest nightmare because I live in a country where 85 percent of the citizens believe in a second coming, in revelations and that the world is destined to become God’s playground. One day a bunch of people go to heaven, and another bunch go to hell. It’s very possible that A.I. could take some of these ideas and recreate them in a complete accident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ca id=\"species\">\u003C\u002Fa>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>The last question, Zoltan, is about becoming a multi-planetary species. I have a vision that at the age of one hundred, I will board a spaceship and go to Mars to die there in peace. I plan to board the spaceship myself, if necessary, even by using exoskeletons. It is a very important part of my vision. Do you think we should become an interplanetary species? Are we capable of becoming one and if so, do you think we will make it happen in the next decades or so?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>I’m a 100 percent sure that we should become an interplanetary species.\u003C\u002Fstrong> In fact, in the Transhumanist Bill of Rights\nthat I have written, it is one of the major points. The reason is that from\njust an existential point of view, either a plague could wipe out the human\nrace or an asteroid could hit the planet. Whatever happens, we need to get some\nhumans off this planet just so that we can make sure that the survival of the\nspecies continues. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>That said, for me, the adventure aspect is really important. We all come from families that essentially left their homeland and went out to discover the unknown regardless of whether that meant crossing the ocean or just crossing over a mountain. We all have adventure and curiosity built into us. And that is what is great about the transhumanist future. It is no longer just about exploring planet Earth. It’s exploring our solar system and after that exploring the galaxy and the rest of the universe. I couldn’t hope for anything more. That is what really excites me about transhumanism. The ability to get beyond physical elements and kind of merge with machines so that we can travel anywhere in the solar system and anywhere in the universe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"290\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F03\u002Fmars-1-1-512x290.png\" alt=\"Zoltan Istvan\" class=\"wp-image-16882\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F03\u002Fmars-1-1-512x290.png 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F03\u002Fmars-1-1-768x434.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F03\u002Fmars-1-1-442x250.png 442w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F03\u002Fmars-1-1.png 870w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>I hope that at the age of 100 or 120 we will meet again on Mars. That would be a great way of reconnecting.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"10px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>At The Medical Futurist, we are building a community for making a bold vision about the future of healthcare reality today.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FFIbMejImnxs\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003Cp>If you’d like to support this mission, we invite you to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">join The Medical Futurist Patreon Community\u003C\u002Fa>. A community of empowered patients, future-oriented healthcare professionals, concerned health policymakers, sensible health tech developers, and enthusiastic medical students. If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our research and sustains our future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">\u003Cstrong style=\"background-color: #e71d3299; color: #000;\">Click here to support The Medical Futurist from as little as $3\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa> – it only takes a minute. Thank you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Ftbody>\n\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"rendered":2051,"protected":16},"\u003Cp>Our dystopian future might be filled with religious A.I. developed by the U.S. military, we might see the end of sexual activity and giving birth in a traditional sense. That’s some of the nightmare scenarios that Zoltan Istvan, transhumanist, futurist, and speaker drew up in the latest piece of our Great Thinkers interview series. However, before anyone starts to fall into despair, he enumerated countless examples of how technology can upgrade humanity to live longer, healthier and better lives. Robotic prosthetics, gene editing, and A.I. in moderation could be the key to a good life in the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",23862,{"_acf_changed":16,"footnotes":64},[5],[74,285,2056,1560,2057,91,1442,544,2058,545,2059,1086,2060,86,89],926,1331,1333,1334,648,[],[],[2064,2065,979,297,2066,113,1569,2067,301,101],1739,2383,5835,1715,[2069,53,116,117,118,119,120,122,127,312,2070,1572,2071,144,1459,570,2072,571,2073,1098,2074,139,142],"post-23848","tag-society","tag-zoltan-istvan","tag-transhuman","tag-religion","tag-government",{"id":2052,"alt_text":2076,"caption":64,"description":64,"media_type":149,"media_details":2077,"post":2037,"source_url":2097},"Zoltan Istvan",{"width":325,"height":326,"file":2078,"sizes":2079,"image_meta":2096},"2019\u002F05\u002F0510_great_thinkers_005.png",{"medium":2080,"large":2083,"thumbnail":2086,"medium_large":2089,"1536x1536":2090,"2048x2048":2093},{"file":2081,"width":179,"height":180,"mime-type":331,"source_url":2082},"0510_great_thinkers_005-370x208.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F05\u002F0510_great_thinkers_005-370x208.png",{"file":2084,"width":182,"height":183,"mime-type":331,"source_url":2085},"0510_great_thinkers_005-768x432.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F05\u002F0510_great_thinkers_005-768x432.png",{"file":2087,"width":177,"height":177,"mime-type":331,"source_url":2088},"0510_great_thinkers_005-150x150.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F05\u002F0510_great_thinkers_005-150x150.png",{"file":2084,"width":182,"height":183,"mime-type":331,"source_url":2085},{"file":2091,"width":342,"height":343,"mime-type":331,"source_url":2092},"0510_great_thinkers_005-1536x864.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F05\u002F0510_great_thinkers_005-1536x864.png",{"file":2094,"width":605,"height":606,"mime-type":331,"source_url":2095},"0510_great_thinkers_005-2048x1152.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F05\u002F0510_great_thinkers_005-2048x1152.png",{"aperture":188,"credit":64,"camera":64,"caption":64,"created_timestamp":188,"copyright":64,"focal_length":188,"iso":188,"shutter_speed":188,"title":64,"orientation":188},"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F05\u002F0510_great_thinkers_005-scaled.png",{"related_posts":16,"related_posts_footer":16,"cta_type":64,"cta_color":64,"subtitle":64,"related_books":16,"key_takeaways":16},{"yoast_wpseo_title":2100,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":2101,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":2045},"The Jesus Singularity And The End of Sex As We Know It? - The Medical Futurist","The Medical Futurist had a conversation with Zoltan Istvan, transhumanist, futurist, and speaker for the latest piece of our Great Thinkers series.",{"self":2103,"collection":2108,"about":2110,"author":2112,"replies":2114,"version-history":2117,"predecessor-version":2121,"wp:featuredmedia":2125,"wp:attachment":2128,"wp:term":2131,"curies":2142},[2104],{"href":2105,"targetHints":2106},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F23848",{"allow":2107},[27],[2109],{"href":220},[2111],{"href":223},[2113],{"embeddable":41,"href":226},[2115],{"embeddable":41,"href":2116},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=23848",[2118],{"count":2119,"href":2120},20,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F23848\u002Frevisions",[2122],{"id":2123,"href":2124},53283,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F23848\u002Frevisions\u002F53283",[2126],{"embeddable":41,"href":2127},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F23862",[2129],{"href":2130},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=23848",[2132,2134,2136,2138,2140],{"taxonomy":11,"embeddable":41,"href":2133},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=23848",{"taxonomy":248,"embeddable":41,"href":2135},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=23848",{"taxonomy":251,"embeddable":41,"href":2137},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=23848",{"taxonomy":254,"embeddable":41,"href":2139},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=23848",{"taxonomy":257,"embeddable":41,"href":2141},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=23848",[2143],{"name":39,"href":40,"templated":41},[],[],1785589541680]