[BIOPHYSICS | Week #14] Bionics & Our Biological Future

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Bionics & Military Weaponry

I totally support the development of a bionic person, especially if it will enhance a their quality of life. Mobility is a privilege many of us take for granted and to be presented with an opportunity to (re)gain use to a part of your body is a blessing and is especially true for veterans returning from war.  Advancements in bionics have progressed over the last few decades, for instance making it possible for individuals to control a prosthetic limb through a microchip and even use electrodes on the skin to send muscle signals for movement. Check out this 2007 publication on Wired for an article on the world's most advanced bionic arm.  



However like many scientific developments over the course of history, the use of bionics for military use has become a reality.  Ekso Bionics a robotic exoskeleton company has developed "a wearable uniform, which provides superhuman capabilities with superior mobility and protection" for the United States Special Operations Command in 2015.  Ekso was first developed to rehabilitate individuals with spinal cord injuries and stroke survivors. Knowing that this technology is now a tool used for war is depressing and unethical. Do still believe in bionics? Absolutely! But is there a way for us to prohibit the use of exoskeletons as a weapon of war and any other scientific development for that manner? 


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