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Proud Cyborg Athletes Compete In The World's First Cybathlon (ieee.org)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the I,-Cyborg dept.

IEEE Spectrum reports: Last Saturday, in a sold-out stadium in Zurich, Switzerland, the world's first cyborg Olympics showed the world a new science-fiction version of sports. At the Cybathlon, people with disabilities used robotic technology to turn themselves into cyborg athletes. They competed for gold and glory in six different events... [B]y skillfully controlling advanced technologies, amputees navigated race courses using powered prosthetic legs and arms. Paraplegics raced in robotic exoskeletons, bikes, and motorized wheelchairs, and even used their brain waves to race in the virtual world...
the_newsbeagle writes: While the competitors struggled with mundane tasks like climbing stairs, those exertions underlined the point: "Like the XPrize Foundation, the Cybathlon's organizers wanted to harness the motivating power of competition to spur technology development...they hoped to encourage inventors to make devices that can eventually provide winning moves beyond the arena."

6 of 19 comments (clear)

  1. I attended by 110010001000 · · Score: 1

    It was a very inspirational event. Something we need in the world now. Kudos all around to the athletes and the people who put the event together.

  2. Re: I doubt it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Are you one of the cyborg contestants?

    I think your AI is a bit out of whack, and you may need to have your firmware upgraded.

    Go ahead and power yourself off.

  3. Please rise. by Rei · · Score: 1

    Hail, hail Robonia!
    A land I didn't make up!

    --
    The internet is not a series of tubes. It's more like a net. Or a network of computers. Or an internet.
  4. fucking neato by ArylAkamov · · Score: 1

    Advanced prosthetics, exoskeletons and other transhumanist type things always get me excited. The next step beyond controlling machines to surpass our limitations is to (partially) become one.

    Nice to see people who once had no hope of walking again (or any number of things) be able to give the finger to reality and do it anyways.

  5. In related news ... by PPH · · Score: 1

    .... the Gundam team took home most of the gold medals.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  6. I WANTED ORANGE by ArylAkamov · · Score: 1

    But it gave me lemon-lime