What is Human Augmentation and how is it used?

Human augmentation is the act of artificially altering human body functions to improve people's capabilities beyond their normal physical and mental boundaries.

The term is also applied to the practice of using technological means to replace or enhance innate human abilities. Modern medical techniques such as implants, transplants, and external devices that improve strength, speed, vision, etc., are all forms of human enhancement. Some examples include bionic arms; exoskeletons; wheelchair ramps; contacts lenses fitted with light-amplification sensors for people who have impaired vision; pacemakers and other implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) in a person's chest to correct life-threatening heart rhythms by delivering precisely calibrated electrical shocks to restore a normal heartbeat when needed.

How is Human Augmentation used?

Human augmentation has many different uses, ranging from improving the current quality of life for those who are disabled or injured to increasing human capabilities beyond normal human function. Here are some uses of human augmentation:

1) To understand human emotions:

The development of a device that would allow other human beings to understand how we are feeling by measuring our brain waves through non-invasive sensors which convert the data into specific emotions. This could have therapeutic benefits, as well as practical ones such as allowing robots to recognize and respond appropriately to human emotion (and therefore avoid dangerous situations). No such product currently exists but at least one firm is working on devices that might monitor certain aspects of brain activity.

2) As an alternative to wheelchairs:

One good example of human augmentation is the development of exoskeletons, which are external devices that serve as a form of wearable robotics to assist those who have difficulty walking. They can help paraplegics and other disabled people walk again as well as allow individuals to carry heavy objects or move faster than normal. In time, they will likely become more common, less expensive, and function better.

3) To alleviate severe pain:

Another use would be medicine such as morphine for severe pain relief, without addictive properties. Human Augmentation will not only allow us to live longer but also continue living a quality life even when we get older. By 2020, 19 million Americans will be 65 years old or older – an important milestone for increased life expectancy. For the past century, the US Census Bureau has been predicting how many people will be in America at a given future time, and their predictions have a solid record of being fairly accurate. However, there is one problem with forecasting how many seniors will be living in 2020: they keep forgetting to take into account human augmentation into that prediction.

4) To support general activities:

a) Implementing the use of add-on devices to help manage daily tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and home maintenance

b) In our homes appliances can communicate wirelessly through different networks with each other/other devices to make life easier when we are out or not home

c) A personal robotic butler could be used for many tasks such as cooking, cleaning, running errands/shopping, etc.

5) To maintain realistic figures:

Surgery can be used for cosmetic purposes to enhance the appearance of one's body, but it may also be used to correct physical problems or disfigurements. For example, facial reconstructive surgery is performed on people who have lost parts of their faces due to cancer or other conditions. This surgery restores function as well as normal appearances of patients' faces.

6) To improve vision:

a) Eye implants are fitted into the eyes to compensate for poor vision by stimulating parts of the retina with electrical currents, enabling patients blind from birth or with impaired sight due to eye diseases such as macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa to see again.

b) A could use contacts lenses that provide augmented reality information to the wearer through a miniature heads-up display. Such lenses might contain a small computer, a camera, and a tiny projector.

7) To increase strength:

One way this could be used is to implant electrodes into the upper and lower arm muscles of people with limited arm mobility due to conditions such as stroke or cerebral palsy, so they can use their arms more effectively. Electrodes connected to an external power supply send electrical impulses that stimulate the nerves in those muscles, causing them to contract, which makes it easier for someone to perform movements such as opening and closing their hand. This technology has been under investigation for some time now but there are few commercially available devices.

8) To monitor brain activity:

This could be done with an inexpensive scan that looks for signs of dementia without the need for costly testing or a wait for symptoms to develop. It might even help identify any problems before they become serious enough for someone to visit a doctor. This is used by many professionals such as athletes, soldiers, astronauts, etc.

Conclusion:

It is quite obvious that technology has advanced to the point where it can greatly improve our lives. What science fiction talked about decades ago, today is already turning into reality. The advancement of this technology will soon become exponential and human augmentation could do everything from making us live longer to allowing us to be stronger than the strongest man in the world.

Author Bio:

Sarah has been writing for a decade and now for the online Quran classes UK Website. She obtained her Master’s degree at the University of London. Her main objective is to write insightful content for those people who read and like it.