A cyborg is an organism with both man-made and organic components. The term was first coined in 1960 by NASA scientists discussing human/machine hybrids. Modern medicine has expanded the definition to include mammals with reparative technologies. Cyborg applications that enhance human functioning beyond natural capabilities are controversial, such as RFID tags and implanting insects and animals for military purposes. Donna Haraway presented a positive view of cyborgs in the context of feminist theory.
A cyborg is an organism with both man-made and organic components. The term “cyborg” was first coined by NASA scientists Nathan Kline and Manfred Clynes in an article on aeronautics written in 1960 that discussed the potential advantages of a human/machine hybrid that could operate in space. In science fiction and popular culture, cyborgs are often depicted as “half-man, half-machine” beings with robotic or bionic implants, such as RoboCop from the 1987 film of the same name or the 1970s television shows, The Six Million Dollar Man and The bionic woman. Cyborgs are sometimes confused with androids, which are robots designed to look like humans, such as Data from the 1980s-90s TV series, Star Trek: The Next Generation.
The capabilities of modern medicine have caused many to reconsider the definition of cyborg to include mammals equipped with reparative technologies that help replicate the body’s natural systems, such as a person with a pacemaker or a retinal or cochlear implant. While the average prosthetic does not fall under the definition of cyborg technology, a prosthetic device that uses sensors to replicate a person’s natural gait, such as a C-Leg system, is considered a modern cyborg application.
In addition to repair technologies, cyborg applications that can enhance human functioning beyond the body’s natural capabilities are controversial. For example, the development of the Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, which is on the verge of becoming a prolific cyborg application, is a microtechnology implanted into a human or animal to potentially store information. Opponents of such technology point to the potential invasion of privacy that could occur with such a device; it could become a de facto application for tracking humans and animals.
Another controversial cyborg application involves the use of insects and animals in the military for tactical combat purposes. For example, the US Department of Defense agency Defense Advanced Research Projects (DARPA) has begun exploring the possibility of implanting insects with pupal data sensors for surveillance purposes, as well as implanting sharks with similar cyborg sensors for detect explosives underwater.
The 1985 essay written by Donna Haraway, “A Cyborg Manifesto: Science, Technology, and Socialist-Feminism in the Late Twentieth Century” presented a positive view of cyborgs in the context of feminist theory. Haraway theorized that the metaphorical concept of a cyborg involves transcending the historical and patriarchal constraints of one’s natural gender.
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