Dimensions
129 x 198 x 21mm
The science behind the remarkable convergence of people and computers - our 'bionic' sensory future.
In August 1998, Kevin Warwick, professor of cybernetics at the University of Reading, had a small silicon chip implanted in his forearm. When he arrived at the office, his computer recognised the chip's radio code, unlocked the door, switched on the lights, and greeted him with a friendly 'Hello, Professor Warwick'.
The experiment aimed to show how 'humans and machines can work together, combining the best features of both'. Warwick's next attempt to meld man and machine? An effort to link two nervous systems - his own and that of his wife - via the Internet.
This book explores the scientific advances - as well as the social, psychological and ethical implications - behind this convergence of people and computers, a merger that encompasses both the implantation of electronics inside the body and the endowment of computers with human-like capabilities. It explores how our senses are being enhanced by computers and how computers, in turn, are taking on many of the functions of the human senses.
This technology could enable people to operate computers, mobile phones and even fighter planes by thought alone. Meanwhile, computers are being upgraded with silicon senses to perceive and respond to emotions.
