wio

 CONTENTS   SEARCH   HISTORY   HELP 



  Report: Biotechnology convergence

Browse:
  Related Search:


 WORLD-INFOSTRUCTURE > BIOTECHNOLOGY CONVERGENCE > IMPLANT TECHNOLOGY
  Implant technology


Kevin Warwick at the University of Reading works on implant technologies which could enhance or modify functions of the limbs and the brain, or bring back functionalities lost, for example, in an accident or as a consequence of a stroke. Implants are also used for identification in "intelligent buildings" where they serve to control "personnel flows". However, the real potential of electronic implants seems to lie in the field of electronic drugs. The basics of the brain computer interface are already explored, and there are now efforts to electronically modify the function of the mind. Large software and IT companies are sponsoring this research which could result in the commercialisation of electronic drugs, functioning as anti-depressants, pain killers and the like. Evidently, the same technologies can also be used as narcotic drugs or to modify people's behaviour. The functioning of body and mind can be adapted to pre-defined principles and ideals, their autonomous existence reduced and subjected to direct outside control.




browse Report:
Biotechnology convergence
    biotechnology summary
 ...
-3   Convergence
-2   acceleration
-1   body and mind as defects
0   Implant technology
+1   Biotechnology: robotics and artificial intelligence
+2   Satyrs, Frankenstein, Machine Men, Cyborgs
+3   Beautiful bodies
+4   The third industiral revolution. Life as a product.
 INDEX CARD     RESEARCH MATRIX 
Human Genome Project
The Human Genome Project is an international colaborative research project that aims to map the human genome. It's goal is to idenitfy the 100,000 genes of the human DNA as well as to sequence the 3 billion chemical base pairs that make up the DNA. The HGP is designed on an open source basis, i.e. the information that is obtained and stored in databases should, in principle, be available to researchers and businesses all over the world. However, the HGP's work has been challenged by private businesses such as Celera whose objective is the private exploitation of genome information.