The future is here....

[Mr Ogre]

Whilst I don't really keep with the latest in bionic research and that, I did find the following article rather interesting.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...shire-17988848

It's an impressive feat, and not only for the runner.

What does this mean for mankind now? Clearly we are able to make more or less functioning bionic suits, and to be honest, the £43,000 price tag is a tiny price compared to the insurance pay out for someone crippled through negligence (seriously, they have to have a specifically modified house, transport, the lot). So already the technology itself is affordable from the off.

And clearly this is just the beginning of this. I'm sure I don't need to illustrate just how fast tech is developed these days. Give this what, 5 years, and we can reasonably expect to see full body bionic exoskeletons!

[theunwantedbeing]

Wow 26 miles in 16 days, technology is amazing.

Sarcasm aside it's nice to see that we are making strides towards better robotic suit tech, even if they are painfully slow strides.

[Mr Ogre]

It's a working suit, however basic. Imagine the ramifications this could have for injured service people, victims of car accidents etc. Hell, even my Granny! I know the old dear won't likely live to see this become a common sight, but to think that she could just strap this on of a morning, and be up and about is very encouraging.

All sorts of applications. Combined with the various other bionic research going on, we could be within sight of restoring movement to even quadraplegics.

[de Selby]

I believe the command and control is still a factor. I haven't really got into this but I think the way it works is you lean forward and the suit 'walks' forward in response (with the aid of crutches). If we had a way of getting mechanical parts to respond to your brain in the way that healthy arms and legs do, I think the mechanical aspects of the problem would be solved relatively quickly.

Of course, this all makes it more of an achievement on her part, not less.

[Mr Ogre]

I think we've more or less cracked the mind control bit.

Fairly sure there's a couple of genuine cyborgs in the UK somewhere, with chips in limbs and their noggin? Once all this comes together....

[New Cult King]

I don't know if politicians count

But seriously, good on that lady. That's a pretty huge effort, even with the tech.

[Xisor]

I think we've more or less cracked the mind control bit.

Fairly sure there's a couple of genuine cyborgs in the UK somewhere, with chips in limbs and their noggin? Once all this comes together....

I know a few people that'd went for symbiotics and bionics, though that's more bees in bonnets and chips on shoulders than serious subdermal stuff.

I did smile when I saw the thread's news report a day or two back. It's interesting, certainly, and rather cool. I hope further work on it bears serious, lower-cost fruits. Interesting though, and an impressive feat in itself.

[Mr Ogre]

For essentially a working prototype, I'd say the price tag is pretty cheap!

[Disposable Hero]

Awww, imagine my mother-in-law in a bionic suit!

Thats like an Orc in a Killacan!

[sycopat]

It's only a matter of time now

[El_Machinae]

I am in the Dean Kamen school, here. The future is not here until we're jealous of their prosthetics. Until then, we have a moral obligation to improve those prosthetics.

And, having said that, this woman is showing a heroic level of courage and effort.

So far she has raised about £80,000 for Spinal Research

Heroic! Like I said, we have a moral obligation.

(and then, someday, we'll get our dreads)

[El_Machinae]

9 days later, we're in the future again!

People With Paralysis Control Robotic Arms to Reach and Grasp Using Brain Computer Interface

[canberraguy]

9 days later, we're in the future again!

People With Paralysis Control Robotic Arms to Reach and Grasp Using Brain Computer Interface

Beat me to posting this link! Fantastic developments and I don't know about anyone else but makes me feel I have wasted my life a little when you see people working hard to make developments like this. Well done to all involved.