Science moves forward, and takes with it the human body. Over the centuries humans have adapted to live longer, healthier lives. And as the pace of scientific advancement continues, so with it does our ability to modify and improve ourselves to deal with the changing circumstances of our world. Some of these advancements are necessary for the continuation of life, others are for the specialization and longevity of the human body, while still others are to make us better, faster, and stronger organisms that can achieve the impossible. The following are twelve advances in science that have taken us from “mere human” to “super human”.
Bionic Vision
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Ever wanted night vision? Or double the visual abilities of “perfect”? Well, the bionic eye will be able to help. Currently it’s being developed to help blind people regain vision, but the field of adaptive optics is moving closer and closer to perfecting night vision and helping those with perfect vision go even farther. So, completely blind or with perfect sight, the bionic eye can help you see beyond the capacities of any normal human.
The C-Leg
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The C-Leg is a military grade prosthetic limb with an intelligent system that measure’s your gait 50 times per second for real time adjustments. One of the strongest and most advanced prosthetic limbs in the world, it is the U.S. military’s choice for a prosthetic leg for its soldiers. Made primarily from titanium, this leg gives you more strength and durability than any human leg could. If you’re not in the military, it will set you back $30,000 to $40,000 though.
The XOS Exoskeleton
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If you ever saw “Iron Man”, you probably said exactly the same thing everyone else did; “Where can I get one of those?!” From Raytheon Company of course. The XOS Exoskeleton can be put on like an overcoat, but once on the wearer can easily lift 200 lbs. with one arm. 500 times in a row. Without breaking a sweat. Minus the ability to fly and the lack of weapons attached, this is the “Iron Man” suit.
The Rocket Belt
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Since the 1960’s, various forms of jet packs and rocket belts have been successfully tested and used. If you have $125,000 lying around, you can own your own rocket belt and fly for up to 30 seconds at a time. Or you can spring for the more advanced T-73 Jet pack and fly for a full nine minutes, and up to 11 miles. At the very least, you can have one hell of a morning commute.
The Bionic Ear
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Currently the most advanced bionic ear system involves an implant, software, a processor, and a wearable earpiece. The system allows you to hear the world more accurately and gives you much better audio acuity than any human ear can offer. It’s used with the hearing impaired to improve hearing, and can be used to increase general hearing with a healthy ear.
The Bullet Stopping T-Shirt
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Lightweight, comfortable, but definitely not cotton. This brand new nano-technology involves spinning a fabric constructed out of carbon nanotubes. It’s seventeen times tougher than Kevlar and four times tougher than spider’s silk (which is five times tougher than steel). The bullet may still leave a mark, but rest assured, the bruise will fade.
Cybernetics
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How about controlling a machine with your mind that reacts faster than your body possibly could? Or watching a monkey control a robot walking on a treadmill with its mind halfway across the world? One of these has already happened, and the other is quickly approaching. The ability to control a machine with your mind is one that’s created villains and fueled fantasies. Cybernetics research is quickly evolving to the point where, “if you can dream it, you can do it” isn’t just for Disney anymore.
Neural Implants
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Neurotechnology is an emerging field that implants a device into your brain, allowing you to control an external device through thinking. Currently a quadriplegic man with one of these devices can control a machine the size of a room with only his mind. So, depending on the device you’re controlling, “superhuman” is a bit of an understatement.
Regeneration
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The Holy Grail, or “Cup of Life” has been a quest of many, and obsession of few, and become a possibility with modern technology. Scientists are currently developing methods of regenerating limbs, organs, and body systems with the help of stem cells and current natural technologies found in other organisms. Because who wouldn’t want a fresh heart when they’re sixty.
Mind Reading
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Ever wanted to know what someone was thing, or tell if they were lying? Well, now you can. At least, you can if you’re a scientist with a neural imager. By measuring a variety of neural activities, scientists have begun to read people spatial memories. If they can tell where you are (or have been), it’s just a matter of time until you can hold a device up to someone and know if he/she is, in fact, just not that into you.
Teleporting
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“Beam me up, Scotty” isn’t just a famous line from television and the movies, it’s the idea of teleporting someone instantly from one place to another. Any who wouldn’t want that? You could go anywhere, anytime, at a moments notice. While science hasn’t gotten quite to that point, scientists are exploring the real possibility of teleporting matter beyond atoms (which has been done, incidentally) between locations. So if you can’t send yourself somewhere, maybe at the very least you could send a camera, or a monkey.
Breathe Underwater
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If you’re a diver, you know how arduous a process it is to go diving. You must make sure all your gear is ready, re-check everything, and have a very short time while underwater because of the small amount of oxygen you can take. Now at least, time is no object. With the creation of an underwater breathing vest that filters oxygen out of the water around you, feel free to stay underwater as long as you want.
Comments
James
July 15th, 2009 - 9:25:51 PM
i highly doubt that the bionic ear will give you better hearing than normal. if it is indeed an implant into the cochlea, the implantation procedure will damage what normal hearing you have.
Eric
July 15th, 2009 - 9:41:14 PM
James...are you a specialist??? no
Rhyno
July 15th, 2009 - 9:58:02 PM
I think Bob has issues :)
Allen
July 15th, 2009 - 10:29:31 PM
That's not really what is meant by teleportation when people say quantum teleportation. It's more the teleportation of information or states; it has nothing to do with making something go instantly from one place to another.
PrFirmin
July 15th, 2009 - 11:38:02 PM
I agree with Allen. At the moment it is more something like transferring the properties (quantum states) of one atom to another. To give you an idea: actually what you would get at the end is a perfect copy a yourself but in a different location.
Phil E. Drifter
July 16th, 2009 - 1:17:32 AM
James is right, when you get a cochlear implant they attach it to the aural nerve coming out of the brain heading to the ear; in order to connect anything, they have to disconnect the nerve going to your ear, so you lose all natural hearing.
Martin Lewis
July 16th, 2009 - 1:31:53 AM
Oh the possibilities of teleporting. For a start, I wouldn't be sat in this boring meeting pretending to be taking notes on my laptop.
Nicholas
July 16th, 2009 - 1:41:12 AM
On the subject of the bionic ear, a very lovely family friend who went deaf received two cochlear implants and while it is very helpful for communicating it is by no means better than a human ear. We (family and I) have to repeat ourselves several times for her to hear us sometimes. This is especially true in an environment with background noise. So while it is revolutionary to be able for her to hear, I think I'll be sticking to my lowly human ears for now.
Thomas
July 16th, 2009 - 1:49:42 AM
To think that any machine can give you better hearing than the natural human ear is ridiculous. Ok, maybe you can hear some more frequencies. But dont talk about dynamic range.
Russell
July 16th, 2009 - 2:26:54 AM
I think the point of these technologies is not the current state they are in, which to the average Joe 30 years ago would have seemed like science fiction, it is that the march of progress will only lead to better things. In another 30 years time will the bionic ear be better than a real one, will we be able to actually teleport a grain of rice, will military body armour be a t-shirt printed with "Frankie Says Relax", probably. Needless to say none of these technologies will regress and get worse.
Mohmed
July 16th, 2009 - 4:49:33 AM
We, the great nation of Saudi Arabia, already have access to these new technologies. Stupid infidels.
Mark 2100
July 16th, 2009 - 5:27:04 AM
When I take over the world (which is only a matter of time) bionic enhancements will become commonplace. Even for people with no prior need for enhancement. The first Olympic Games under my tyranny will be spectacular! Runners who speed past the pace car. High jumpers who need oxygen tanks because of the altitudes they reach. And shotput throwers who don't throw the shot, but fire it from the cannon implanted in their chests. I can hardly wait.
Druckles
July 16th, 2009 - 5:27:08 AM
"It’s more the teleportation of information or states; it has nothing to do with making something go instantly from one place to another." When you look at things as a whole, that's technically what the average consensus of teleportation would be. 'Walking' is not the same as 'moving limbs', but if you perform the latter in the right way, it's viewed as it. Plus a perfect copy of yourself is, by definition, you. Hell, it'd be more you than the you in a week's time.
Physicist
July 16th, 2009 - 11:37:55 PM
No, there wouldn't be a perfect copy of yourself. That'd require to obtain the _exact_ information about the location and impulse of every particle in a body. Look up Heisenberg and you'll see it's not possible. Nevertheless, quantum teleportion and quantum cryptography will be very handy for communication. And from a more human point of view.. even if it WOULD be possible to teleport a human being.. the teleported body would die. You would die. Sure, if there's enough matter and energy on the other end to build you up again you'll have a copy but let's just say.. it wouldn't be the most pleasant mode of transport. Psychological trauma included.
robb
July 17th, 2009 - 12:06:34 AM
damn these are just awesome. i'd like teleportation, please.
Larry the Dwarf
July 17th, 2009 - 6:57:38 AM
The breathing device would require a massive amount of power to get anywhere close to equaling regular compressed air tank. And your time underwater would still be limited by the excess nitrogen that builds up in your blood while diving.
Nothing to do with Eric
July 18th, 2009 - 2:11:19 AM
So, Eric.... James is indeed a knowledgable with correct information. How does it feel to be the doubting thomas !
Tom
July 18th, 2009 - 2:25:05 AM
Sorry Phil, you're completely wrong. A cochlear implant has an electrode inserted into the cochlear. The nerve is not severed in any situation. For some devices (long electrode) they do destroy residual hearing. This is NOT due to nerve damage, it is due to the electrode rupturing the basilar membrane of the cochlear. There are also short electrode devices that do not destroy residual hearing. Neither are as good or better than natural hearing. I am an expert.
Emil
July 18th, 2009 - 2:56:51 AM
Argh. Apostrophes! Eat sentence fragment!
JCdenton
July 18th, 2009 - 12:19:06 PM
False. No such tech exist. Internet 1 will now mysterious end.
Fergus Riche
July 18th, 2009 - 12:59:45 PM
The diving vest won't work, I'm afraid; if it only filters out pure oxygen [which it would only be able to do if there are no additional tanks, which would bring you back to the starting point], as 100% oxygen becomes toxic after breathing for over two hours, a limit which can be surpassed using recreational diving equipment easily. Besides, pure oxygen becomes toxic at over 10 metres' depth, rendering the whole setup rather useless. Even if these problems did not exist, I am sure that anybody would want to check this device just as much as regular scuba gear prior to a dive, as they are entrusting a machine with their ability to breathe.
Mich De Lorme
July 18th, 2009 - 1:21:20 PM
Cool stuff folks :) Thanks
Eric
July 19th, 2009 - 10:23:57 PM
I agree with James. The only way that it would be able to surpass the human ear as such is if the current ear was already damaged, but only the eardrum. It might be that this aural implant would be able to connect directly with the nervous system, potentially allowing for people to "hear" sounds in frequency ranges formally too low or high.
Ken
July 20th, 2009 - 3:52:16 AM
We were promised flying cars and suits made of aluminum foil too. What happened?
Russell
July 22nd, 2009 - 1:41:17 AM
Honestly, some of you so-called tech-expert dweebs are so wrapped up in "this isnt possible" and "that will never work". In 100 years time you will looked upon like the idiots that thought people would suffocate on trains if they went faster than 40 miles an hour. Try to have some magnificence in your soul, dare to dream, be creative and attempt to inspire the new generation to turn science fiction into a reality. If it was up to people like you we would still be stuck in the dark ages.
Anonymous
July 25th, 2009 - 10:24:31 PM
"i highly doubt that the bionic ear will give you better hearing than normal. if it is indeed an implant into the cochlea, the implantation procedure will damage what normal hearing you have." The connection will most likely go straight to the brain, there's no need to attach it to the ear.
Jason
July 25th, 2009 - 10:25:14 PM
"i highly doubt that the bionic ear will give you better hearing than normal. if it is indeed an implant into the cochlea, the implantation procedure will damage what normal hearing you have." The connection will most likely go straight to the brain, there's no need to attach it to the ear.
Matt
August 7th, 2009 - 8:44:32 AM
I don't believe that the C Leg is the US military's choice for its soldier's. Ive seen to many documentaries and articles about how much of a struggle it is for any disabled vet to get a crappy plastic prosthetic limb paid for by our government.
Johnny Miller
August 8th, 2009 - 1:13:27 PM
like Carl Sagan said we can use technology to destroy ourselves or we can use it to carry us. peace Johnny
Sean
August 28th, 2009 - 1:18:57 AM
I'd be afraid of teleporting actually. All logic considered, to replicate your body else where, you'd have to merge new things to create a new being or process your already dispersed molecules to said new location. Being able to piece that back together is a little upsetting, because with a new copy of you, you'd be essentially dead. You're current thoughts and everything would be no more, as your copy took over your life. Also, if you could send your original molecules, what is the chance that your current consciousness would stay intact when pieced back together? I think I'll walk to where I need to go, thanks.
neuro
August 30th, 2009 - 3:25:59 AM
I want a cure for deafness, and I am aware of the latest developments. The latest information I find interesting in this forum http://www.alldeaf.com/hearing-aids-cochlear-implants/68345-cbr-center-regenerative-medicine-looking-children-under-age-18-months.html
Dan Beames
October 27th, 2009 - 11:52:10 AM
Looks like people have already cleared the teleportation thing up. Just to say that quantum teleportation and what is usually understood by 'teleportation' have nothing to do with each other. Needless to say, at the moment there is no real theory that is believed to make teleportation possible. And to Matt - You say it's hard for vets to get artificial limbs. The article says soldiers. Not the same thing. I'm sure that the military spends more on people who actually still work for them. Very cool article though, I have to say the only one I'm a bit wary of is the teleporting one.