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Harvard Creates Cyborg Tissues
MrSeb writes "Bioengineers at Harvard University have created the first examples of cyborg tissue: Neurons, heart cells, muscle, and blood vessels that are interwoven by nanowires and transistors. These cyborg tissues are half living cells, half electronics. As far as the cells are concerned, they're just normal cells that behave normally — but the electronic side actually acts as a sensor network, allowing a computer to interface directly with the cells. In the case of cyborg heart tissue, the researchers have already used the embedded nanowires to measure the contractions (heart rate) of the cells. So far, the researchers have only used the nanoelectric scaffolds to read data from the cells — but according to lead researcher Charles Lieber, the next step is to find a way of talking to the individual cells, to 'wire up tissue and communicate with it in the same way a biological system does.' Suffice it to say, if you can use a digital computer to read and write data to your body's cells, there are some awesome applications."
... just build cyborgs which don't need to blow their nose?
Your heart possibly being owned by a corporation. Or your willy wang and the police busting down your door for unauthorised jerking methods.
The issue for all of us who already exist today is that the tissue grows around the mesh. Certainly in the future new organisms can be grown and integrated at the same time to become cybernetic life forms. However, for all of us who are already grown getting a mesh inside of our tissues presents a whole other engineering problem.
Suffice it to say, if you can use a digital computer to read and write data to your body's cells, there are some awesome applications."
Yes. The RIAA can now ask for someone to be disassembled to search for pirated software, and the government in order to check for terrorist cellular data. Reassembly of course, will be your problem, not theirs.
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Cool.
I wonder what the infection rate along the interfaces is?
Ignoring all the ./'s typical cynicism: This is quite an exciting development.
If the artificial components can be kept functioning without affecting the living tissue, we will be able to help people with virtually any physical disability! A few weeks ago there was a stoly how brain signals were decoded when it came to sight, so combine that with this breakthrough we can even have people controlling the devices with their mind!
Biotech is making great strides in progress. This is a very exciting time to be alive.
Perhaps Jon Daly was correct, someday there might be a vagina that doubles as a Wifi hotspot.
The only thing going in my vajayjay that runs on batteries comes with a happy at the end. I'm sure most women feel similar. Second, do you really want your dick in a microwave? What do you think rubbing your man-sausage on a transmitter pumping out several watts is going to your little swimmers?
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No. Riker, with the power of Q, offered to transform Data into a human but Data refused. In another episode, Data becomes Q's only friend when the latter is stripped of his powers. When Q got his powers back, he offered a gift to Data, which Data assumed meant turning him into a human but instead Q made Data laugh.