Technology is often seen as a threat – like Artificial Intelligence and the singularity where machines will become more intelligent that man. But technology is not too often mentioned as opening possibilities.
Since a long time technology is opening possibilities in the form of compensating for failing senses: pairs of glasses, hearing aids and other prosthetic help a lot of people live an normal life. Even more visibly for people with disabilities or who have lost limbs.
But technology also enables us to do things that we could not perform with our body alone: transport ourselves quickly, above ground and under ground, fly in the air… New technology will also give us the possibility to open new senses, in addition to provide support to our memory, allow us to understand foreign languages instantaneously, etc..
Some are already quite advanced in the cyborg world of increased senses such as Neil Harbisson, auto-proclaimed the first cyborg. As an artist he seeks to increase his perception by adding sensors that capture colors he can’t see and give him the information otherwise (through some brain wiring). Have a look at his TED talk!
In the future we should rather see how technology can expand our capabilities and support our creativity rather than shrink from a fear that it might replace us completely. But how we will operate with the new technology is still something that needs to be invented – a real revolution!
