Prosthetics-a-gogo

The latest cyborg arms, augmented risk-assessment, using your head to Wii, and tattoo interfaces for your smart phone.

A prosthetic that alerts us to the real dangers in life

Humans tend to have an extremely distorted view of risks. We tend to be bothered by low probability but high profile threats, while often completely oblivious to those risks that could actually harm us. Check out this chart:


According to artist Susanna Hertrich, this is because humans have lost their natural instinct for sensing genuine dangers. Her solution? A prosthetic device for lost instincts that literally makes your hair stand on end.

She calls it the Alertness Enhancing Device. It’s an art-piece, thesis, and human enhancement device that stimulates goosebumps and shivers that go down your spine and make your neck hair stand up, “waking up the alert animal inside.” According to Hertrich, the AED helps you become more alert and ready for the real dangers in life. More here.

Dude creates wicked head tracking display for 3D gaming with Wii remote

Totally cool electronic tattoo display powered by blood

This wireless blood-fueled display was recently shown at the Greener Gadgets Design Competition. It’s a subcutaneously implanted touch-screen that operates as a cell phone display, with the potential for 3G video calls that are visible just underneath the skin. It’s powered by a fuel cell that converts the energy found in blood.

Inter-species video games

The concept behind this year’s Game Design Challenge was to create a game playable by humans and at least one other species. The result? Games for dolphins, dogs and....uh....bacteria.

Heh, the joke’s on them. Bonobos have been playing Pacman since forever ago.

Dean Kamen’s “Luke Arm” prosthesis just about ready for clinical trials

IEEE Spectrum Online has a special report on the current state of prosthethic arm development, including the latest on Dean Kamen’s “Luke Arm” which is being funded by DARPA. There’s also an amazing video showing the arm in action.

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George Dvorsky serves on the Board of Directors for the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies. George is the Director of Operations for Commune Media, an advertising and marketing firm that specializes in marketing science. George produces Sentient Developments blog and podcast.