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Could 'Borgs' Exist In The Near Future ?

Started by June 11, 2015 05:30 AM
10 comments, last by Alessio1989 9 years, 3 months ago

James Walbert's case is certainly an interesting one (the guy wakes up after losing some time apparently drugged, has pain and injuries, doctors discover he has multiple tracking implants embedded in his body) but I don't think that is what the topic is about.

Do we have "borgs" in our society right now? Yes, as others discussed.

It isn't the "Please gouge out my eyeballs and install telephoto lenses" cyborg, but we do have "please embed microprocessors to enable an artificial replacement limb". We have "please continually track my blood sugar and insulin". We have "please augment my failing hearing" and "augment my failing vision".

It is not just for the injured and damaged bodies.

Some of these ARE for the benefit of otherwise healthy individuals.

Consider breast implants and penile extensions, to name two. Most are purely cosmetic, but some involve implanting electronic chips for personal reasons.

There are also GPS trackers that some (perfectly healthy) people in dangerous situations sometimes get injected just in case they vanish. As the James Walbert case illustrates, this has an enormous potential for abuse.

And then there are some tech experimenters out there who embed RFID chips and automate their home and office so doors unlock and open, then close and relock behind them. While those could be done just as easily with a card or device, a few individuals have chosen to implant them.

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So yes, we have people withtechnology currently implanted. Most are done for medical reasons to repair damage, some people voluntarily modify their adequately functioning bodies in ways they hope will improve their lives, and a very small number have been discovered as aggressive implants done against the person's will.

Over time the numbers of all three categories are going to increase.

I would consider an RFID tag in my hand in some situations, such as door key systems so that forgetting my keys (Something I've done I think twice in the last four or five years), but I would be rather picky about the security systems designed around them.

I would also happily become a test subject for artificial replacement trials in the event of an accident, and while I'm not expecting the tech to mature enough in my lifetime I would still consider things like optic enhancement surgery for one eye if some amazing breakthrough comes through. Having built in super telephoto wide spectrum sensor to watch near UV to far IR and adjust on the fly? That would be a very handy thing at times.

Old Username: Talroth
If your signature on a web forum takes up more space than your average post, then you are doing things wrong.
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Well, you could consider retina scan, which is almost as secure as having a RFID chip in your hand. And no risk that burglars will cut off your hand to get hold of the chip.

Oh wait...

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But they are far more awkward to use reliably than an RFID chip, and keys can be handed out to someone without needing a scanner.

Old Username: Talroth
If your signature on a web forum takes up more space than your average post, then you are doing things wrong.

They are among us even as we speak.

It's Jammer time! D:

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"Recursion is the first step towards madness." - "Skegg?ld, Skálm?ld, Skildir ro Klofnir!"
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