The Current State of Bionic Technology Available and The Research Being Done A report By Andrew Hale

Bionics- Where Human Meets Machine The current level of available mechanized artificial limbs and organs is surprisingly advanced. Recent developments in bio-mechanical engineering have given us artificial hands that are capable of transmitting sensations to the severed limb of an amputee. Thanks to the work of doctors elsewhere, an artificial eye has recently been released to the public that allows people with degenerative blindness to see again. Artificial legs and ears have also been developed to help those who need them. Some scientists have even begun working on the next wave of cutting bionic developments. They are working on developing synthetic wires that can be used to replace muscles and tendons that would allow people to be four times as strong as they normally would and would let them run as fast as a cheetah. They are also working on nanotechnology that would be injected into the blood-stream to help fight disease. All these things are either currently available or being developed. Human/Machine hybridization is part of the scientific field of bionics. Bionics primary goal is to develop artificial limbs and organs that mimic natural human movement. The most common use for these developments is to allow people who have either been in an accident or were born with a defect to live a more natural and normal life. The more natural they can make the movement of these limbs, the easier they are accepted by the minds and bodies of recipients.

Artificial Eyes As of February 6th, 2013, a California based company began selling the first artificial eye in the United States and in Europe (DNews). Their model uses glasses with a special mini cam that connects to electrodes in the retina that send the signals on to the brain. Other companies are working on artificial eyes that look more natural. These synthetic eyes are connected to a microchip which is surgically implanted and connected to the optic nerves in the retina, which then sends signals to the brain (Conner). The chip or the electrodes convert signals into the same code used by light-sensitive cells in the human eye. Patients have reported varying degrees of success with the implants. Some reported only a minor increase in their vision while others reported being able to read newspapers. Most see in black and white, but some have reported being able to see in color.

Electronic Ears- Hearing Aides and Cochlear Implants Hearing aides are used as an electronic replacement for people suffering from hearing loss. It consists of three parts, the microphone, amplifier, and speaker. They are used to enhance sounds in the environment and help with communication. They can be useful in both noisy or quiet situations. Even though a large number of people could benefit from their use, only about one in five people who could use them do (“Hearing Aids”). The cochlear implant is another device used to augment the hearing of the severely deaf. A surgery connects a small electrode to the auditory receptors and is connected to an external audio receiver. This allows people born with a defect in their inner ear to be able to hear sounds by bypassing the damaged parts of the inner ear. It doesn’t give normal hearing, but it does give the deaf person an useful representation of sound (“Cochlear Implants”). Recipients report varying results, but with post-implant therapy many older patients are able to regain the ability to hear conversations and young patients are able to learn to speak and recognize sounds in the environment around them.

Synthetic Limbs- Bionic Hands This newly developed bionic hand actually allows its wearer to actually feel sensations from the hand as well as receive signals from the brain to control it. This is done by connecting electrodes to the two major nerves in the forearm, the ulnar and the median (Schrange). Sensors in the hand, shown below/center, send signals from the hand through the nerve endings, which allows the wearer to “feel”. These same connections allow the wearer to control the hand using only their brain. While this is still cutting edge technology, researchers hope that one day it will be the standard and that legs and feet can be developed that allow the wearer to ”feel” as they walk.

Synthetic Limbs- Legs and Feet The artificial leg has come a long way from the peg leg depicted in tales of pirates. Researchers at Vanderbilt University have developed an artificial mechanized leg that allows its wearer greater mobility than traditional artificial legs. This mechanized leg helps eliminate the normal rolling gait associated with artificial legs and feet. It incorporates a mechanized knee joint and ankle that takes between 30 and 40 percent less of the wearer’s energy, making it easier to walk on level surfaces, stair, and inclines (Salisbury).

Nanotechnology- The Future of Bionics Nanotechnology is “the art of manipulating materials on an atomic or molecular scale especially to build microscopic devices (as robots)” (Hall). The goal of this field of research is to eventually be able to build molecular machines that are capable of rearranging atoms. This could theoretically allow us to turn sick or aging bodies into healthy and young bodies or be used to build large objects or materials from atomic building blocks. Researchers even believe that this could one day allow us to explore the far reaches of our universe. While little of what is hoped for is available to the public, carbon-fiber nanotubes are one of the developments that are currently available. Carbon-fiber tubes are essentially just graphite rolled into a tube and have an amazing level of strength. Researchers have also begun developing methods for producing molecular machines and engines to power them. This technology could one day eliminate the line between man and machine.

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