It’s no lie that technology has played a huge role in the lives of humans and in recent times we are beginning to see more progress, especially across industries like health, education, transportation, etc.
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the 20th of May 2024, cleared the neural link brain chip implant in a second patient. The first implant received by Norland Arbaugh allows him to control a computer using his thoughts.
If you haven’t heard about Neural Link, it is a neurotechnology company founded by Elon Musk that designs implantable brain-computer interfaces. In simple terms, the neural link chips connect human brains to computers.
The use of technology to enhance human capabilities is what we’ll be discussing in this article. Let’s get started!
What is Human Augmentation?
Human augmentation or Human 2.0, is a term used to describe the use of technology to enhance human cognitive or physical capabilities. It is achieved using sensing and actuation technologies, fusion and fission of information, and artificial intelligence.
The technology is not recent - it’s said to be as old as human civilization, clearly not as we know it now, but when we look at the past, humans have continually found different ways to improve their abilities.
History shows that a ‘mummy’ found in Cairo which dates back to ancient Egypt had the great toe amputated and replaced with a prosthesis manufactured with leather and wood.
Eyeglasses are also a well-known example of human augmentation - there are many records of the use of glasses. A record shows that the playwright Seneca used a glass lens in the first century AD to magnify words on a page. He used a glass globe filled with water to help enlarge small texts allowing him to read more clearly.
Another record shows that the Italian monks were the first to craft semi-shape ground lenses in the 13th century which worked like a magnifying glass to aid reading. Many records show how glasses evolved over the years in different regions.
This tells us that humans have developed ways to replace or enhance body parts as far as pre-historic periods. Other examples of human augmentation include; hearing aids, medical implants, etc.
In modern times, combining nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology, and cognitive science (NBIC) improves human capabilities. For instance;
Nano science studies structures and molecules, and nanotechnology utilizes it in practical applications like designing and manufacturing small devices.
Biotechnology involves manipulating biological systems, e.g. tissue, cells, and genetic engineering for repair or enhancement.
Information technology involves artificial intelligence data analytics, which can be used to create devices that monitor health in real time.
Cognitive science studies the brain including perception, memory, decision-making, etc.
NBIC technology offers opportunities for human augmentation across various sectors. These advancements provide different types of human augmentation including:
Sensory (Augmented sensors): This involves using multi-sensory information and technology to enhance human senses. Different devices or techniques are used to improve the natural capabilities of our senses, including touch, hearing, sight, smell, and taste, as well as the overall function of sensory organs and connective tissues.
Action (Augmented Action): This involves sensing human actions and mapping them to actions in local, remote, or virtual environments. E.g. using robotic prosthetics to restore limbs that mimic the movements of natural limbs.
Cognitive (Augmented Cognition): This involves detecting the human mental state by using analytical tools, interpreting it, and adapting the computer's response to match the predictive needs of the user. AI technologies can augment human cognitive abilities including; decision-making, problem-solving, memory, etc.
