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?
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.
