Lifeboat Foundation

Credit: university of minnesota, mcalpine group.

As we begin to question our biological roles during a non-biological (transhuman) era, will the role of pain remain as our sole method of detecting physical trauma or will it be replaced by a more efficient technological alternative?

A new form of electronics manufacturing which embeds silicon nanowires into flexible surfaces could lead to radical new forms of bendable electronics, scientists say.

In a new paper published today in the journal Microsystems and Nanoengineering, engineers from the University of Glasgow describe how they have for the first time been able to affordably ‘print’ high-mobility semiconductor nanowires onto flexible surfaces to develop high-performance ultra-thin electronic layers.

Those surfaces, which can be bent, flexed and twisted, could lay the foundations for a wide range of applications including video screens, improved health monitoring devices, implantable devices and synthetic skin for prosthetics.

Continue reading “Printed electronics breakthrough could lead to flexible electronics revolution” »

Denis Aabo Sørensen lost his left hand nine years ago, while handling fireworks. Since then, he has used prosthetic hands, but never one like this. Last year, a team of European engineers created for him a prosthetic hand that connects directly to the remaining nerves in his upper arm. That means the hand is able to send sensations of touch back through his arm and into his brain. Plus, when Sørensen wanted to grab something, he could move the hand by simply thinking about it.

Often only a few years separate the tinfoil hats from the millionaires to be. I was writing the piece on the Youbionic arm and thinking of how we will use 3D printing to augment human beings. Clearly augmenting the human body with mechatronics would be a good idea. The flesh is weak but stepper motors are strong! Oh how we will eeck, ooow, brrrr whine in our old stepper augmented age. Machines could very well fill the gaps once our bodies start failing us. But, will old people homes really be filled with Borg grandmas?

Continue reading “Joris Column: Printcrime, augmenting humans, nanoconvergence and Segway polo” »

This is the next generation of robotic prosthetics. Here’s how they work.

Watch the full TED Talk here: http://bit.ly/2LQErPg

Click on photo to start video.

These prosthetics are so realistic that it’s hard to tell what is real or fake.

Impressive.

Controlling prosthetic limbs through the power of thought and AI.

Researchers have created a biohybrid robot finger, a tiny device that combines 3D-printed parts with living muscle tissue.