Tag: Reversed Cyborg

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Living Skin on an Artificial Face

Scientists from The University of Tokyo have succeeded in applying living skin to a robot face. In their article “Perforation-type anchors inspired by skin ligament for robotic face covered with living skin” they write: “Skin equivalent, a living skin model composed of cells and extracellular matrix, possesses the potential to be an ideal covering material for robots due to its biological functionalities. To employ skin equivalents as covering materials for robots, a secure method for attaching them to the underlying structure is required. In this study, we develop and characterize perforation-type anchors inspired by the structure of skin ligaments as a technique to effectively adhere skin equivalents to robotic surfaces. To showcase the versatility of perforation-type anchors in three-dimensional (3D) coverage applications, we cover a 3D facial mold with intricate surface structure with skin equivalent using perforation-type anchors. Furthermore, we construct a robotic face covered with dermis equivalent, capable of expressing smiles, with actuation through perforation-type anchors. With the above results, this research introduces an approach to adhere and actuate skin equivalents with perforation-type anchors, potentially contributing to advancements in biohybrid robotics.” (Abstract) The result is an inverted or reversed cyborg. Oliver Bendel uses this term for technical structures that are supplemented with biological structures. It is also – another term used by Oliver Bendel – robot enhancement. There is no doubt that there will be more and more developments like this. Humans will become cyborgs, and robots will become reversed cyborgs (Image: Ideogram).

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Simple Brain Waves in Organoids

Clusters of brain cells, so-called brain organoids, have been bred in the biologist’s lab at the University of California, San Diego. According to the New York Times, the scientists altered human skin cells into stem cells, then “coaxed them to develop as brain cells do in an embryo”. “The organoids grew into balls about the size of a pinhead, each containing hundreds of thousands of cells in a variety of types, each type producing the same chemicals and electrical signals as those cells do in our own brains.” (NYT, 29 August 2019) The progression was stimulated by various means. A few days ago, the scientists reported that they have recorded simple brain waves in these organoids. “In mature human brains, such waves are produced by widespread networks of neurons firing in synchrony. Particular wave patterns are linked to particular forms of brain activity, like retrieving memories and dreaming.” (NYT, 29 August 2019) Someday it may be possible to use brain organoids to develop inverted or reversed cyborgs. Another method could be to take an adult brain from a deceased creature. There is no doubt that many interesting philosophical questions arise in this context, such as the boundaries between humans and machines and the rights of such cyborgs.

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The Reversed Cyborg

Chimeras in the biological and medical sense are organisms that consist of cells or tissues of different individuals and yet form closed and viable (not necessarily reproductive) organisms. They can be located within a species or between species and can be both plants and animals. There are natural (blood chimeras in mammals) and artificial mixed organisms (grafting in plants, animal-human embryos). Cyborgs are not chimeras in this sense. Nevertheless, research in this field might also be relevant for them, in particular for inverted or reversed cyborgs, for example robots in which an animal or human brain or organ is implanted. Animal-human chimeras for the production of human organs are regarded as unproblematic by many ethicists. According to a comment by Oliver Bendel, this is astonishing, since findings from animal ethics and veterinary medicine and in particular suffering and death of non-human living beings are ignored.