Introduction to Cyborg
Cyborg
is a cybernetic mechanism
which is a hybrid of machine and organism. It is a self-regulating
human-machine system which has certain physiological processed aided or
controlled by mechanism electronic devices.
Most human will imagine that a cyborg is only made up of a human brain in a
robotic body [1]. In fact, a cyborg is able to live without a body. It redefines gender, identity and
body and it has no known sex. It can be
without a body or it could be in an animal body too. "The first cyborg was a rat that was injected with chemicals with an
osmotic pump, the injection being modified as the rat responds." [2] As
there is no identity in a Cyborg, this leads to the finding of Cyborg
Identity.
Purpose of Cyborg
Cyborg technologies are restorative. Lost
functions, old organs and limbs are restorable. A cyborg is able to restore some creature
back to indistinguishable normality. It can be reconfigured and created
as post human creatures that are similar to but different from human being.
Cyborgs had appeared in science fiction and movies like Blade Runner, Alien
Trilogy, Terminator I, II and III series and Robocop. All these had presented a vision of cyberpunk
cyborg.
Limitations of Cyborg
Cyborg has no feeling like human and
it requires high maintenance cost. Many jobs are replaceable by cyborgs and
hence leading to manpower reduction.
Conclusion
The developments of robotics ascertain that the part-man, part
machine cyborg can be used in many areas. Cyborg will be
able to live in space or under the sea. It can be
used in future military and industrial researches. Cyborgs are the illegitimate offspring of militarism,
patriarchal capitalism and state socialism.
References
[1] Asimov, I. (1987) Cybernetic Organism, in Issac Asimov's Robot City, ibooks, Simon and Schuster, New York, 1987
[2] Quoted by, Hacking, I (1998) Canguilhem amid the cyborgs, Economy and Society, Vol 23, no.2 and 3, pg 202-216
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Total number of words: 348