USA Today story:
As co-writer for USA TODAY’S “For the Record,” I’ve been writing about the campaigns of Republican, Democratic, Libertarian and Green presidential candidates since the newsletter’s launch last summer. But the first presidential candidate to reach out to me was Zoltan Istvan, the Mill Valley, California-based Transhumanist Party candidate who foresees the merger of humans and technology in the very near future. I spoke by phone with Istvan last week.
Big promises are the hallmark of presidential campaigns.
Four years ago, Newt Gingrich said he’d make the moon the 51st state by 2020. Bernie Sanders has proposed free college education for every American. Donald Trump has promised to build a 1,900-mile wall on the border with Mexico.
Transhumanist Party candidate Zoltan Istvan wants to conquer death.
Has anyone ever run the numbers on just how many people hours and $ spent on AI since 1950? Think about it for a minute; and how little we have advance v. the enhancement of people since the 1990 with BMI technology, bionics, etc. and it’s cost. My guess is Mr. Elon Musk understands the ROI extremely well between AI/ Robots v. human enhancement technology especially where there is a larger return and repeat business opportunity.
Computing has been getting much smarter since the idea of artificial intelligent was first thought of 60 years ago. But are computers intelligent?
Together, Eidos Montreal, Square Enix, and OpenBionics are working on the development of two Deus Ex inspired bionic arms, which are set to be finished in 2017. The first model is inspired by Adam Jensen’s own bionic arm, and the second is described as the Deus Ex Universe arm. The 3D illustrations of the arms are undeniably stunning, as Vu added that “we wanted something to touch upon high fashion…something that looks very slick and you could be very proud to wear.”
Continue to read on http://www.3ders.org/
#obminitiative
Fun video and article with some transhumanism now on the main China Public TV (English).
We’ve heard a lot about Augmented and Virtual Reality. But outside of gaming, is it practical in the workplace? That’s a key focus at this year’s Augmented World Expo in Silicon Valley.
At the Augmented World Expo, it’s goggles, goggles and more goggles.
Companies like Vuforia are out to prove augmented reality is not just fun and games. Their software allows a service technician to more quickly repair almost anything.
“If you’ve ever struggled with something that looks like a diagram, something 3-dimensinal maybe an instruction manual, an automotive manual where you are trying to go through different steps. All of those diagrams come off the paper and can be over your eyes and in your hands using AR,” Jay Wright, president of Vuforia, said.
The latest of the bionic leaf. A little over a year ago reseachers made an amazing discovery on cell circuitry leaves. Here is more news from Harvard on their research on bionic leaves.
Harvard scientists designed a new artificial photosynthesis system that turns sunlight into liquid fuel, and it is already effective enough for use in commercial applications.
Here’s an alternative source of energy many have never heard of— bionic leaves.
Scientists from Harvard University just made photosynthesis more efficient with what its creators are calling the “bionic leaf 2.0.” They’ve invented a new system that splits water molecules with solar energy and produces liquid fuels with hydrogen-eating bacteria.
Here’s a short video and story from CCTV America (China’s Public TV in America) from my interview at the Augmented World Expo. I discuss robots, the Immortality Bus, and a Universal Basic Income:
CCTV America’s Mark Niu interviewed Zoltan Istvan, the founder of the Transhumanist Party and a 2016 candidate for the U.S. presidency. He asked Istvan one more question about his “immortality bus” and whether robots will take over our jobs.
A feel good story on 3D printers.
This lil’ kitty named Sonic is now bionic.
The black-and-white cat, who was surrendered to Denver Animal Shelter over three months ago, had been born with a leg deformity called radial agenesis, according to Meghan Hughes, communications director for Denver Environmental Health.
Because of the deformity, Sonic was forced to drag his leg on the ground to move, she told ABC News today.
My new article for Vice Motherboard on extreme biohacking that compares the Uncanny Valley to Speciation Syndrome:
Transhumanism tech like CRISPR, 3D printing, and coming biological regeneration of limbs will not only change lives for those that have deformities, but it will change how we look at things like a person with a three-foot tail and maybe even a second head.
At the core of all this is the ingrained belief that the human being is pre-formed organism, complete with one head, four limbs, and other standard anatomical parts. But in the transhumanist age, the human being should be looked at more like a machine—like a car, if you will: something that comes out a particular way with certain attributes, but then can be heavily modified. In fact, it can be rebuilt from scratch.
In the future, there may even be walk-in clinics where people can go to have various gene treatments done to affect their bodies. Already, we have IVF centers where people can use radical tech to privately get pregnant—and also control and monitor various stages of a child’s birth. Eventually, if government allows it, gene editing centers will also offer a multitude of designer baby traits, some which also would come via CRISPR. We might even eventually use artificial wombs for the whole process.
Economically, a trillion dollar industry could be created by the burgeoning genetic editing industry—one that greatly benefits human health and science innovation. But of course, first we must get over our fears of modifying the human body and the effects of speciation syndrome.
