TITLE: BIONIC TECHNOLOGY: Hope chever

Objective:
*To make my audience aware of the bionic technology including its current and
past developments.
*To make my audience appreciate what bionic technology can offer
*To show the limitation of biotech for future improvements and solutions
*TO show anticipation on the future of bionic technology and to engage them
on an idea that may be of help in the field

Introduction:
*THE six Million Dollar Man
-Science Fiction American tv series about a former astronaut with
bionic implants working for a fictional government office known as OSI
-1970's
-The title role of Steve Austin was played by Lee Majors, who
subsequently became a pop culture icon of the 1970s
-Austin is severely injured in the crash and is �rebuilt� in a title-
giving operation that costs at least six million dollars ($6 million in 1973
adjusted for inflation in 2012 using Bureau of Labor Statistics would be $31
million).[3] His right arm, both legs and the left eye are replaced with "bionic"
implants that enhance his strength, speed and vision far above human norms: he can
run at speeds of 60 mph (97 km/h), and his eye has a 20:1 zoom lens (In the novel
it is a camera) and infrared capabilities while his limbs all have the equivalent
power of a bulldozer. He uses his enhanced abilities to work for the OSI (Office of
Scientific Intelligence) as a secret agent.
*Qoute on the unawareness of Bionic Technolgy
-We're in the midst of a bionic revolution, yet most of us don't know
it.
Ramez Naam (CNN)--Ramez Naam is the author of "More Than Human: Embracing the
Promise of Biological Enhancement,"and "Nexus," a near-future thriller about a
technology that can boost and link human minds, and the struggle to control it.

Body:
*What is bionic technology
-Etymology: from bi (as in �life�) + onics (as in �electronics�); the
study of mechanical systems that function like living organisms or parts of living
organisms
-was coined by Jack E. Steele in 1958, possibly originating from the
technical term bion (pronounced bee-on) (from Ancient Greek), meaning 'unit of
life' and the suffix -ic, meaning 'like' or 'in the manner of', hence 'like life'.
-Some dictionaries, however, explain the word as being formed as a
portmanteau from biology + electronics.
-also known as biomimicry -> imitation of the models, systems, and
elements of nature for the purpose of solving complex human problems.
ex: Burr = Velcro,

*Past and Current developments on biotech:

-In the field of computer science, the study of bionics has produced
artificial neurons, artificial neural networks,[1] and swarm intelligence.
-Today, we talk of artificial intelligence that has created waves of
interest in the field of robotics. When this has been possible, why not artificial
vision?
-bionic eyes -- When you're blind, being able to see even the basics of
light, movement and shape can make a big difference. Both the Argus II Retinal
Prosthesis, currently in FDA trials, and a system being developed by Harvard
Research Fellow Dr. John Pezaris record basic visual information via camera,
process it into electronic signals and send it wirelessly to implanted electrodes.
The Argus II uses electrodes implanted in the eye, which could help people who've
lost some of their retinal function. Dr. Pezaris' system, still in the early stages
of research, would bypass the eyes entirely, sending visual data straight to the
brain. Both systems will work best with people who could once see because their
brains will already know how to process the information. "The visual brain depends
on visual experience to develop normally," Pezaris explained.

-How Is Argus� II Designed To Produce Sight?

In a healthy eye, the photoreceptors (rods and cones) in the retina convert light
into tiny electrochemical impulses that are sent through the optic nerve and into
the brain, where they are decoded into images. If the photoreceptors no longer
function correctly�due to conditions such as retinitis pigmentosa�the first step in
this process is disrupted, and the visual system cannot transform light into
images.

The Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System ("Argus II") is designed to bypass the
damaged photoreceptors altogether. A miniature video camera housed in the
patient�s glasses captures a scene. The video is sent to a small patient-worn
computer (i.e., the video processing unit � VPU) where it is processed and
transformed into instructions that are sent back to the glasses via a cable. These
instructions are transmitted wirelessly to an antenna in the implant. The signals
are then sent to the electrode array, which emits small pulses of electricity.
These pulses are intended to bypass the damaged photoreceptors and stimulate the
retina�s remaining cells, which transmit the visual information along the optic
nerve to the brain. This process is intended to create the perception of patterns
of light which patients can learn to interpret as visual patterns.

People with RP experience a gradual decline in their vision because photoreceptor

cells (rods and cones) die.

-bionic ear -- <see saved webpage>

--The scientists have devised a way to produce an ear-shaped
chunk of silicone mixed with bovine cells and infused with tiny particles of silver
that form a coiled antenna. Like any antenna, this one can pick up radio signals
that the ear will interpret as sound.
--The 3-D ear is not designed to replace a human one, though; the
research is meant to explore a new method of combining electronics with biological
material.
--McAlpine and his team demonstrated the antenna's ability to
pick up radio signals by attaching electrodes onto the backs of the ears in the
printing process. When they broadcast a recording of Beethoven's "Fur Elise" to a
pair of fully cultivated ears, the electrodes passed the signal along wires to a
set of speakers, and the music flowed out clear and without interference.
--Although the new research is just one iteration in the field of
cybernetics � an area that looks at combining biology with technology � McAlpine
said the research could lead to synthetic replacements for actual human functions,
and to a sort of electronic sixth sense.

-Wearable Kidney -- For people with failing kidneys, basic necessities

of life like removing toxins from the blood and keeping fluid levels balanced
requires hours hooked up to a dialysis machine the size of a clothes dryer. But a
new, portable artificial kidney, small and light enough to fit on a belt system,
could change that. Despite its small size, the automated, wearable artificial
kidney (AWAK), designed by Martin Roberts and David B.N. Lee of UCLA(University of
California, Los Angeles), actually works better than traditional dialysis because
it can be used 24 hours a day, seven days a week, just like a real kidney.
-electronic tongue
--The researchers designed the e-tongue to be structurally
similar to the human tongue, which has four different kinds of receptors that
respond to distinct tastes. The human tongue creates a pattern in the brain to
store and recall the taste of a particular food.
--The colors change when the scientists introduce chemicals to
the e-tongue. A camera on a chip connected to a computer then examines the colors
and performs a simple RGB analysis that in turn determines what tastes are present.
Yellow, for example, would be a response to high acidity, or a sour taste.
--Although the immediate application would most likely be
medical, the device has all sorts of potential uses, Neikirk says, ranging from
analyzing contaminated water to determining which substances make drinks taste the
best.
--The e-tongue can also "taste" cholesterol levels in blood,
cocaine in urine, or toxins in water. The UT research group recently received a
US$600,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop a device to
screen blood and urine samples with a single test.
--The tongue can be a powerful tool, but also a highly subjective
one, said Dean Neikirk, professor of computer and electrical engineering at the
University of Texas at Austin. When food companies want to create the same flavor
every time, they turn to the electronic tongue, a device developed by Neikirk and
his team to analyze liquids and pick out their exact chemical make-up. Neikirk's
tongue uses microspheres, tiny sensors that change color when exposed to a specific
targets, such as certain kinds of sugars. The result is a system that can't replace
the person who says, "This tastes good!" but can make sure the chemistry of good
taste is reliably replicated.
**********
In a way similar to the human tongue, the ASTREE electronic tongue performs a
global taste assessment of a complex mixture of dissolved organic or inorganic
compounds.

This instrument detects all compounds responsible for taste in liquid samples and
allows comparing various products based on their taste profile. The electronic
tongue not only assesses basic tastes (sweet, bitter, sour, salty, umami) but also
all other gustatory components (metallic, pungent, astringent, etc).

--food and beverage, pharmaceutical

-<video on the bionic man>

-A bionic man, which has artificial organs, synthetic blood and robotic limbs, goes
on display at the Science Museum in London on Tuesday. The human-like machine has
cost more than �500,000 to make, but scientists who built him believe it could
provide a range of benefits, such as replicating parts of the human body using the
same technology
-Rex the bionic man shows how close technology is to catching up with � and
exceeding � the abilities of the human body

[*Uses and Importance

*Limitations of biotech]
*The future: What's in store for the next 50 years? What's next.
-<The Future History of Bionic Tech webpage>

2032
Artificial Red Blood Cells

Also called respirocytes, these robotic blood cells consist of about 18 billion
atoms�most of which are carbon�in a diamond structure that�s assembled one atom at
a time. They could carry hundreds of times more oxygen than natural red blood
cells, allowing people to hold their breath for hours or sprint at Olympics-level
speeds for 15 minutes at a time. Robert Freitas of the Institute for Molecular
Manufacturing hopes to have the first nanofactory up and running in 20 years.
2022
Printed Bones

Washington State University scientists created a ceramic powder that they can use
to print artificial bone scaffolds, employing a specially configured inkjet printer
and CAD software. The scaffolding dissolves as natural bone grows around it. Lab-
printed load-bearing bones, such as hips and knees, still remain at least 10 years
off. "You have to really respect Mother Nature," chemist Susmita Bose says. "She is
very, very hard to mimic."

2022
Bionic Lens

University of Washington researchers have been working toward a wirelessly powered

on-eye display, aiming for a commercial version in 10 years. With micro-optics
embedded in the lens, it could not only enhance vision, providing night vision or
projecting data into the line of sight, but also restore some degree of lost
vision. "For macular degeneration, the incoming image can be modified to be spread
over the still-functional parts of a retina," project lead Babak Parviz says.

2027
Lab-Grown Liver

Anthony Atala's team at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine has
already implanted lab-grown bladders. Next up: more complex organs, such as the
liver, grown from a patient�s own cells on a scaffold. While a full implant is
likely 15 years off, early work could provide injections of healthy cells or grafts
of lab-grown tissue to repair damaged organs.

Conclusion:
*Summarize everything :D
-Bionics has helped disabled persons to enjoy their life. Their application
to military, medicine, business etc helped the human species to live an easier and
simpler life. Certain bionic devices are life saving devices.Hopefully scientists
will be able to overcome all the issues, making it possible to develop an immortal
superhuman.

GODBLESS! :)

references:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/video/2013/feb/05/bionic-man-unveiled-science-
museum-video
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071054/quotes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bionics
http://articles.latimes.com/1998/nov/30/business/fi-49181
http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/1998/11/16016
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomimicry
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2013/07/03/bionic-ear.html
http://2-sight.eu/en/argus-ii-rps-pr-en
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/prosthetics/the-future-history-of-
bionic-tech-3#slide-2
http://www.alpha-mos.com/analytical-instruments/astree-electronic-tongue.php
http://www.alfatest.it/public/files/Astree%20E%20Tongue%20brochure.pdf
http://www.livescience.com/11381-bionic-humans-top-10-technologies.html
\begin{flushleft}
Objectives:
\begin{itemize}
\item To make my audience aware of the bionic technology including its
current and past developments.
\item To make my audience appreciate what bionic technology can offer
\item To show the limitation of biotechnology for future improvements
and solutions
\item To show anticipation on the future of bionic technology and to
engage them on an idea that may be of help in the field
\end{itemize}
\end{flushleft}