Have you heard of the Cyborg 2050 report?

Today we are going to take a look through this fascinating report titled

Cyborg Soldier 2050: Human/Machine Fusion and the Implications for the Future of the DOD

Of course, DOD refers to the United States Department of Defense.

The primary objective of the report was to forecast and evaluate the military implications of machines that are physically integrated with the human body to augment and enhance human performance over the next 30 years.

The report is the culmination of a year-long assessment by the DOD Biotechnologies for Health and Human Performance Council, a study group established to continually assess research and development in biotechnology. This is information mainly aimed at the Pentagon's top brass, but it is publicly available so let's dive in...

Section 1/6 - Technology Predictions for 2050:

The report highlights four case studies of technology that could be feasible by 2050.

i) Case Study No. 1: Ocular Enhancement for Imaging, Sight, and Situational Awareness

This basically means that individual vision is enhanced and these enhanced individuals would have the ability to analyse images from various wavelengths to discriminate targets and allow identification in complex and cluttered environments, which is useful as future battlefields in 2050 are projected to be dense, urban environments or subterranean megacities that will challenge identification and tracking of targets.

The individual possessing the ocular enhancement would be able to provide the squadron with a portable sensory-fusion capability (sensory-fusion just means that sensory data from various sources is combined to reduce uncertainty).

From a technical standpoint, two ways are presented in which ocular enhancement technology is likely to manifest itself. The first of which is overlaying the ocular tissue and retaining use of the retinal walls.

Data streams would be overlaid against the retinal wall and transduced through the optic nerve, where input is interpreted by the brain.

This could be possible by 2030 given current research efforts.

The second manifestation is more complex. The eyeball itself is completely replaced, and data feeds pass directly into the optical nerve bundle behind the eye.

The sensory input for visualisation would be completely mechanical or electronic in composition, which would allow data feeds of types and across all spectra including those previously not capable of being visualized by humans.

In essence, the eye would be completely artificial and capable of pulling in any manner of sensory data and feeding it directly into the brain for interpretation.

ii) Case Study No. 2: Restoration and Programmed Muscular Control through an Optogenetic Bodysuit Sensor Web

This enhancement is best described as an implanted digital sensing and stimulation system that is coupled with external sensors such as boot inserts and wearables, which are linked to a central computational controller.

The human body would have an array of small optical sensors implanted beneath the skin in the body areas that need to be controlled. This network of sensors would decrease injury and mortality rates for soldiers through automated hazard avoidance, and would also enhance their physical capabilities on the battlefield.

The most likely use of this technology would be in the restoration of lost function due to injury of muscles or nerves. Musculoskeletal injuries are actually the second leading cause of lost duty time in the U.S. Armed Forces. An optogenetic augmentation of the affected area would restore function while healing and treatment simultaneously continue.

iii) Case Study No. 3: Auditory Enhancement for Communication and Protection

This would involve direct replacement or modification of the middle-ear bones and the cochlea.

The enhancement would give individuals a greater dynamic range of hearing, which would protect or filter overexposure and increase sensitivity to low-amplitude sounds.

Given the fact that battlefield-associated hearing loss due to acute or prolonged exposure to high-intensity sounds such as gunfire, explosions, or military machines is one of the most prevalent service-connected disabilities for U.S. veterans, this implant-controlled protection from high-intensity noises will no doubt prove useful.

In the near-term (i.e. present day to 2030), it is expected that the enhancement will be coupled with networking capabilities and be used to track human detection of salient objects in an acoustic environment.

Longer term (looking more towards 2050), later iterations of auditory enhancements are likely to target two key areas:

Number 1: the capability for communication through imagined or covert speech

and number 2: implants that are significantly less invasive or reversible.

Imagined speech just means thinking in the form of sound.

Transduction just means the process of converting sound waves into electric impulses and sending them to the brain to be interpreted as sound.

In terms of imagined speech, it is predicted that significant advances in the understanding of neural pathways will enable not merely improvements to an individual's auditory signal transduction but also conversion and transmission of these signals to others across distances.

Due to advances in external processor capabilities and minimally invasive electrode implantation in neural networks, it is predicted that this technology will be less invasive than cochlear replacement and more likely to be reversible.

iv) Case Study No. 4: Direct Neural Enhancement of the Human Brain

In this scenario, neural implants for brain-computer interfacing (BCI) would allow for seamless soldiers and machines. This control could be exerted on drones, weapon systems, and other remote systems operated by an enhanced individual.

Neural enhancement through implantation of modulatory electrodes in the brain will enable more rapid and integrated control of multiple assets by the enhanced operator, thus improving battlefield awareness and warfighter lethality.

It is anticipated that specialised operators will be using neural implants for enhanced operation of assets by the year 2030.

On a technical level, neural implants to enable brain-computer interfacing provide the brain with input and output channels that are dependent on brain activity rather than peripheral nerves and muscles, which eliminates the need for conventional delivery mechanisms such as joysticks or keyboards.

The level of invasiveness of early iterations and the potential irreversibility of these implants may limit acceptance by some military personnel and society, although specialised teams such as Navy SEALs may be more inclined to accept these technologies.

By the year 2050, improvements in neural implant technology could be significant.

The study group expects that warfighter needs will influence these technological advancements; however, such advances would plausibly lead to revolutionary changes in how society interacts with machines on a daily level.

Section 2/6 - Perceptions and Politics:

In order to learn more about the public perception of this technology, Cary Funk, Director of Science and Society Research at the Pew Research Center was invited to join the study group.

Dr. Funk specializes in measuring views on public trust in science and in 2016 conducted a survey within the United States that focused on understanding attitudes about human enhancement technologies.

It showed that the majority of Americans greeted the possibility of these breakthroughs with wariness and worry rather than enthusiasm and hope.

It also found that people's views differed depending on how religious they are. The results suggest that a person's willingness to accept or reject the use of a technology for the purpose of human enhancement is based on awareness and understanding of the technology and the degree of religious commitment.

The reports notes that U.S. leadership has very little data about what residents of other counties are willing to accept with regard to the use of human/machine enhancement technologies or to what extent their political and military leaders and scientific community are willing to support this technology.

Therefore, the group recommended that the DOD should initiate a global survey of societal awareness and perceptions of human/machine enhancement technologies, stating that assessment of global attitudes will predict where adoption may be difficult to introduce and when adversarial adoption of offset technologies is likely to be more readily accepted.

Moreover, the adoption of new and potentially sensitive technologies can have significant implications for the interoperability of military forces.

Therefore, the study group recommended that U.S. leadership use current allied forums such as NATO to discuss impacts to interoperability with allied partners.

It is anticipated that state and non-state adversaries will seek to use U.S. deployment of enhanced warfighters to undermine U.S. interests and stigmatize the DOD as unethical. Also, mass media has led to the demonisation of cyborgs (i.e. Frankenstein and the Terminator), so the study group recommended that efforts should be undertaken to reverse the negative cultural narratives of enhancement technologies and leverage media as a means of engaging of public.

If technology is to become a more intimate partner in the physical enhancement of the human species, then DOD personnel must help alter distorted cultural narratives.

Although not intrinsically a DOD mission, defense leadership should understand that if they intend to field these technologies, social perceptions will need to be understood and OVERCOME.

Section 3/6 - Legal and Privacy Issues:

As the pace of technological development accelerates and human/machine enhancements become a reality in the years leading up to 2050, it is almost certain that legal frameworks will continue to be outpaced and face new challenges.

The report references a 2014 study named “Our Cyborg Future: Law and Policy Implications", where the authors suggest that the introduction of more advanced human/machine enhancements will create unique legal challenges because of data generation, which lies at the heart of machines.

There is also the privacy aspect of the legal argument in which cyborg technology inherently collects data from those around the enhanced individual. Although an individual volunteers for enhancement and agrees to any corresponding collection of his or her personal data, bystanders are unlikely to have granted the same permission.

As a result of other scenarios that are likely to arise, the study group recommended that the DOD should invest in the development of dynamic legal, security and ethical frameworks that anticipates these new technologies under its control.

Section 4/6 - Safety and Security:

The introduction of human/machine enhancements into military and civilian populations will create new vulnerabilities that will need to be mitigated by security architectures. Unless one specifically engineers the cyborg to resist the collection or interception of data, it will be default facilitate surveillance.

From a national security perspective, adversaries may piggyback surveillance and tracking technologies within implanted cyborg mechanisms. Also, an enhanced soldier with a machine interface presents a potential security risk and complicates work within secure environments. As one member of the study group states: "If I can't walk into a sensitive compartmented information facility wearing an iWatch or carrying a cellphone, how will security be confident it is safe to allow a cyborg to walk in there?"

Hackability by external forces could generate fear of control by others. Even if this risk can be mitigated via enhanced encryption methods and variable authentication requirements, the perception that control could be subverted may lead to issues of trust among peers.

Now for any enhancement or augmentation, safety is a critical issue. The cognitive and physical effects of these technologies cannot be known fully a priori. It is expected that DOD personnel at the "tip of the spear" (i.e. U.S. Special Operations Command) are prone to seek an advantage over adversaries, even if the chosen technology has not been fully shown to be effective or non-hazardous.

As the long-term effects on the human body and cognitive or psychological function are unknown, they will need to be determined via rigorous prospective studies.

Section 5/6 - Military and Civilian Integration:

Classifying military personnel as enhanced or non-enhanced would add another level of categorisation to military status, fitness for duty, and rank that will have to be considered. Enhancement will effectively change the capabilities and professional status of active duty soldiers.

DOD leaders must consider that integrating enhanced and non-enhanced personnel within military units is likely to create an imbalance in capabilities. For this reason, the study group recommends that DOD fund and conduct related psychosocial research as the development of these technologies advances.

Current DOD rules of engagement require a human in the loop for lethal actions. As technology blurs the line between system and soldier, new policies must be developed to define permissions for when to engage in lethal actions for systems under direct human neural control.

Furthermore, as enhanced military personnel will eventually have to return to civilian life, secession planning and institution of transition policies that take into account the unique needs of service members with long-term enhancements are required.

Because enhancements designed for military applications will enable warfighters to perform at a greater level than the general norm, how will an individual be psychologically and socially affected when these enhancements are removed?

The study group even recognized the possibility of “post-enhancement distress syndrome” (PEDS), of feelings of inferiority or withdrawal, or even a form of depression could be associated with the non-enhanced state.

It is important to consider what it will mean for enhanced individuals to "return to normal". An enhanced individual would have a competitive advantage over non-enhanced individuals in society. Therefore, will there be a bias in favour of or against the enhanced population? Policies and protections must be established to ensure the sound treatment of vulnerable populations and those who have received enhancements.

The possession and security of the enhancement technology becomes an issue during, and especially after military service. For example, if an individual possesses a technology that is not currently available, or if the technology is vastly superior to what is available in other nations, could the individual travel abroad without posing a security risk?

Section 6/6 - Ethical Considerations:

A service member who received an investigational enhancement as part of a study must be fully informed of any known risks and benefits. The individual must agree to participate without undue influence.

Among the most significant ethical considerations that the study group posited is the issue of voluntariness: can volunteers really make an informed decision for new techniques and technologies when mid to long-term effects are unknown?

The study group recommends that the DOD should support foundational research (1) to validate human/machine fusion technologies before fielding them and (2) to track long-term safety and impact of these technologies on individuals and groups.

The benefits afforded by human/machine fusions will be significant and will have positive impacts on the human quality of life through restoration of functionality lost due to illness or injury. Of course, the military community will also see capability opportunities that will impact operations and training.

The study group actually anticipates costs to national security if the DOD fails to pursue these advantages for the warfighter.

There must be a systematic examination of unanticipated military uses, changing ethical standards, philosophical and religious beliefs, and opportunity costs.

In conclusion, the study makes it clear that there will be significant benefits afforded by this technology. However, as it develops, it is vital that the scientific and engineering communities move cautiously to maximise potential with a focus on the safety of U.S. society...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pSK7d9J7aE

I was reading something about the US Army making these hydrogen fuel cells..

https://defence-blog.com/army/u-s-army-develops-stealthy-hydrogen-fuel-cell-tanks.html

Something like that. They had a video an article of a little toy car hooked up to a fuel cell, where they poured water into it and it started running.

Now, I figured out how it worked. But, I've not seen anything further about it.

Oh, and if you wanna know how it works, it's really simple...

It uses powdered aluminum, very pure.. like 99% pure, ground down into really small particles. Like 30 nm. These particles have to be kept from oxidizing so they need to be treated with a water-soluble coating to prevent the water in the air from oxidizing the aluminum. So, you'd have to know how to do that, yet keep it still powdery.

Once you got the coated micropowder ready, just put it in a plastic vessel and dump water in it. The aluminum oxidize, using the oxygen in the water and free the hydrogen since water is an ionic acid.

Bam. Hydrogen without electricity.

Use it, love it.

Next week, I will post something about one of the many methods for harnessing zero point energy. Cause, why the heck not? And I'm tired of not being in space, doing spacey things. Technology is so behind here, you guys need basic concepts to get the ball rolling so you can meet the energy requirements for space travel, amongst other things.

Now the next installment isn't going to be the end-all for energy, and it certainly will not provide enough for anything like space travel. But! It will be very useful in the processing of things into other things and configurations to promote the technologies involved in not only space travel, but.. well. That's a surprise. Hah!

Or I'm just nuts and you should really disregard everything I typed here.

I like the idea of it being a free range discussion with a lack of limitations

on the presentation of its content, so long as it is relevant.

Imagination grounded in science, a Reddit for the real life sci-fi,

should take place here.

Thoughts, suggestions?

So I don't know where or how I stumbled across the N-O-D-E youtube channel but I did and became interested in the pocket/mini server prototypes they made. I was wondering if someone can go into further detail about the mini servers such as how to manage them and how they would work with a decentralized network. Also, any resources to help better understand the topic would help. Thinking of making my own device. I got the internet and 2 months of free time now so...

Here's a link to N-O-D-E's newest prototype: https://youtu.be/3dL41Gn-_hs

Yes, you didn't read wrong. You can call me Ink, and i will open a portal using 5 different ways. Way 1: The Sound Using an high pitched sound to break the reality. Crazy? Yes. Cheap? Oh yes Way 2: Lasers Using 3 or more heavy lasers focusing at one point will produce an small but efficient portal. Crazy? Well yes but actually yes. Cheap? Uh... Way 3: Hyperspace travel Flying so fast that the craft can surpass any dimension. Crazy? Well no. Cheap? No Way 4: Black Holes Orbiting an black hole at an specific location can make transdimensional possible. Crazy? It's orbiting an BLACK HOLE! Cheap? Nevermind... Way 5: Wormholes Using an wormhole as an interdimensional gateway is actually the safest way to go to other universe. Just we need is to find an wormhole. Crazy? Nah. Cheap? Well yes but actually yes. I'm the only one researching this so, you know, er... See you in Inkopolis

Hello Community,

I am performing research on patterns of technology and am turning to the community for answers. What do you think is the most interesting or innovative emerging technologies? Why do you feel that this technology will effect us as a species and our progression from this day forward?

The history of our health and what we have to deal with now. Is a ever for changing lifestyle of survival and love of people. Do I give myself love or freedom to be who I am? Freedom is a choice of life of love and love of life the history of that freedom. Is a chore to understand. I celebrated myself and my world to understand balance and people and within history and art and science and religion is a balance of explaining who we are. The history is awareness of what we are. The story is what is that story within our future? What is the man within the dream of life need to see what we are? I think the theorium of understanding what we are is a history of what we are within ourselves. The connected awareness is what we are.

When in future new technologies become possible, I do think the way humans will use it would still be for the same purposes. For example, now with the Internet most people use it still for watching ''kitten videos'' metaphorically speaking. I guess that's just how our psyche works, since we got the opportunity, we believe we can make use of it later. A lot of this can be reasoned through the older parts of our brains, instincts, etc. which work like ''pleasure first.'' Humans are lead by nature, still. Of course, the Internet is used for many many different, more senseful things, too. It's just that the rest doesn't vanish with this advance.

So what I'm trying to say, we could maybe make the ''shells'' of technology but would fill it with pretty much the same. The desires and aims behind such technological progress are to make life better and more comfortable, to reach a positive emotion. That's the core motivation, and these motivations will find new channels and forms, but as long as we are humans and have our source in nature, this won't change.

Now imagine AI would take over and singularity is happening. How do you think AI would use these technologies (for)?

Any thoughts?

Autonomously gather data, diagnose, and deliver treatment best practices at scale

https://medium.com/memos-of-the-future/how-can-ai-chatbots-support-the-pandemic-fight-ccff1b256326?source=friends_link&sk=92ba236d8db64a44bfea96087f1bec73

What is the next big mainstream step in the entertainment industry? gaming, cinema, theme parks? will we ever have nanobot like technology like in big hero 6 that can be programmed to create an interactive environment that can be linked with Virtual Reality to create a fully immersive game or experience?

Hey guys! Recently I was thinking about how fast the technologies develop nowadays and I personally hate things like Alexa. Like why would you wanna have some sort of robot in your house that collects all your data about your life, have access to your house and etc. So I thought about what can be next steps and imagine if one day they create an Alexa that will be implanted into your head? Like you will have another mind inside of your head, that will obviously give you all the answers to your questions, and there would be no more need in Google, but damn they will literary be in your head!!!!

What do you guys think about it? Like am I getting too crazy or I am no0t the only one who would thinks it's horrible.