Danger Zone One

The following is an article from Tech Exciter, the premier magazine of cutting-edge technology.

THE PROSTHETIC FUTURE

Cybernetic prostheses and artificial implants designed to replace missing body parts lost through physical trauma, disease, or a birth condition are now more common and affordable than ever. Widespread technological advancements such as haptic feedback, active power, and machine learning continue to revolutionize prosthetic care, opening new doors for improved functioning, utilization, and quality of life.

An Age of Cybernetics
The modern prosthetic is no longer viewed as a passive, cosmetic appendage. A cyber-prosthetic intended to restore the normal functions of a missing body part can now augment and improve functionality, strength, and durability beyond that of natural limbs. Today, prosthetics can not only replace sensations of the missing limbs, but actually enhance those sensations. Artificial arms can carry greater weight than humanly possible, cybernetic legs allow for mobility and speed exceeding what the human body could normally achieve, and even optic implants offer vision superior than what the natural eye could ever see.

Man-Machine Interface
New materials and polymers have made artificial limbs lighter and more durable than ever, offering increased flexibility and range of motion, while state-of-the-art microprocessors enable the prosthetic experience to be as responsive and natural as possible. With advanced neural interfaces, the lines between the biological and synthetic are blurred by establishing a connection between the prosthetic and the user’s nervous system. Instead of outdated bionic or myoelectric limbs, which detect electrical signals from the user’s residual muscles, neural-connectivity utilizes electrical and chemical signals direct from the brain to tell a cybernetic limb when to contract, relax, and move.

Production and Affordability
Advances in the production and manufacturing of cybernetic limbs have allowed for unprecedented levels of customized prosthetics that can cater to the unique needs of each user. The fit and function of a prosthetic is always tailored to the individual and as scientific breakthroughs continue to reduce production costs, cybernetic limbs will become more accessible to a wider range of the population. Though full-body prosthesis is still out of the economic reach for many, promising advancements may one day make complete cybernetic replacements widely accessible.

A Cybernetic World
The appeal of cybernetics continues to grow each year, with a rising number of individuals desiring augmented prosthetics instead of their natural limbs. Increasingly common and visible, cybernetics are no longer only used by celebrities, athletes, politicians, or others with the means to afford them. Cybernetics have become widely accepted in society and, in a recent survey, 82% of respondents claimed that they would be comfortable having a cybernetic prosthetic. Advancements in synthetic material now allow cyber-prosthetics to mimic the look and feel of natural skin, while some users prefer keeping the “augmented aesthetic” intact.

The field of prosthetics has come a long way from crude wooden limbs to the technologically sophisticated appendages in use today. As cybernetics advance and more scientific breakthroughs are made, the gap between man and machine will continue to narrow, eventually making physical limitations a thing of the past.

Danger Zone One. Story by Midnight. Art by Salaiix.