The Real-Life Possibility of Cyborgs

In a way, there have been cyborgs among us for decades—anyone with a prosthetic limb, for example. But could the more fantastic concepts of cyborgs become a reality?
The Real-Life Possibility of Cyborgs
Left: A concept image of a cyborg. (Camilo Jimenez/iStock/Thinkstock) Right: TV's "Star Trek" Captain Jean Luc Picard as a borg drone. (Wikimedia Commons) Background: Mechanical elements. iStock/Thinkstock
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Cyborg: a cybernetic organism, a term that has been used to describe many different creations—James Cameron’s Terminator, Robocop, The Six Million Dollar Man and even Darth Vader. It means a mechanical part interwoven into organic, living tissue. 

In a way, there have been cyborgs among us for decades. Anyone with a prosthetic limb, pacemaker, or even surgical implant could technically be considered a cyborg. But when we think of the word, we do not think of surgical implants or pacemakers. We think of mechanized limbs, shoulder-mounted laser cannons controlled by thought, and the like.

But what is the real-life possibility of realizing these fantastic visions? 

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For years we have had the ability to manufacture prosthetic limbs. If you like, you could technically consider the first “cyborg” as someone with a peg leg, or a hook hand. Granted, there is no mechanical aspect of a wooden leg or steel hook but it was really the first attempt at enhancing the human body by replacing it with a sturdier substance. 

"Habit de Marêchal," by Nicolas de Larmessin II, 1695. (<a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Cyborgs_in_fiction#mediaviewer/File:Habit_de_Mar%C3%AAchal.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a>)
"Habit de Marêchal," by Nicolas de Larmessin II, 1695. Wikimedia Commons
Patrick Rahall
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