Volunteers Wanted : Cyborg Conversion

Would you volunteer to be one of the first Cyborgs? If cybernetic technology developed where we can convert a human to a complete machine, would you volunteer to be a guinea pig? Lets place machine conversion of your body between 50% or more.

Think of Robocop 2. OCP wanted to capitalize on the success of the first Robocop. So the corporation searched for volunteers. Too bad those first batch of volunteers didn't work out so well. Not a happy example, but you get the picture.

Are we talking Ghost in the shell style cyberization or Nasty robocop style monstrosities?

If teh latter is the case id rather not have stairs become a rather major obstacle. lol

I'd do it if it was the ghost in the shell type deal as long as my old body is put in cold storage and that the new body resembles me...either that or a complete overhaul of my original body...

I definitly wouldn't mind the ghost in the shell deal.

well, if i'm guaranteed to live forever and given a darth vader type suit. i'm ALL in.

Something like x-ray vision or a bionic arm would be slick. I might volunteer for that. Robocop? I don't think so. Not unless the Japanese are involved.

And if NASA is in any way involved - FUHGETTABOUTIT! I don't like the odds.

It would change your response depending on what level of technology you are looking at. I would say, imagine what the first generation of cyborbgs from Ghost In The Shell would be like, not Robocop. Technology today and 5 years from now would look more streamlined than what Robocop portrayed in the late 80s.

Personally, I would as long as I can still do the following:

- bump-and-grind with the ladies
- enjoy food (i'm a Foody)

Having heightened senses, computer aided memory, machine like strength, and more would be nice to have. Plus, you live a lot longer and you don't age in a normal sense.

Gives the term "cyber sex" a whole new meaning now doesn't it?

Did you say bionic? A bionic ...

...you can complete that phrase I think.


[edit on 20-5-2008 by gauncents]

In Futurama, they called it Metal Fever.

How would our society embrace cyborg technology? Would we embrace it? Or run in fear and throw strict governing laws to control it? Kind of like what happened with genetic research.

There is a a new Japanime movie from the creators of Appleseed that has a premise similar to what I just said. It is called Vexille. Here's the synopsis:



We might not see cyborgs because of restrictions.

Of course we'll see cyborgs. Are we not already heading there with replacement limbs and organs?

Eventually, you're entire body could be replaced... except for perhaps the brain, I can't see anyone volunteering to have their brain removed and replaced with a CPU for obvious reasons. Enhancements to the brain, perhaps, but people would want the original left in tact.


I think the best people as volunteers would be the paraplegics, they've had the use of their body taken from them... why not give them the option of full mobility again?

my asthma is getting worse


Id just want the breathing aparatus Lord Vader had

cause then I wouldnt have to worry

I work in orthopaedics and we have alot of cyborgish people already

some patients have all joints replaced and some just a knee or a hip

reply to post by guppy

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It's kind of like a graph of two lines, one for how sick I am, or how many years left I have of optimal normal untampered-with function, versus how early I adopt the technology...What daddy used to tell me " consider the risk/benefit ratio"...if I'm rapidly circling the drain, or if I can get it now for cheap as a guinea pig (whereas once the technology's mature it'll be priced out of my likely future price range) then I'll jump now... but if I have legs to wait out the bugs in the beta-version, and it seems likely to become cheaper as time goes on, like how computer chips do, then I'll stall and see how it works out for the other hopeful monsters.
So I'd have to do a semi-bogus calculation of the two trendlines, my prospects and the tech's, and see where they intersect...

reply to post by johnsky

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My point from my last post was how would society react when full-conversion cyborgs are available to the military and public. People might react negatively towards full-conversion cyborgs. It all depends on how society reacts with the culture shock. With cybertechnology, fear-mongerers might feed off on it. Ethical and moral debates will cause tension. Of course, corporations will just throw money at politicians via lobbyists where any sanctioned laws will barely matter.

reply to post by nine-eyed-eel

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Good points there, nine. To continue my discussion with johnsky, any restrictions may get shot down by those who vote (the elder). The elderly may embrace cybertechnology if longer, stronger life is within reach.

The level of advancement is a big factor for me to determine my cost-benefit ratio. If the technology is slow as Robocop, I'd probably say no and wait. But if technology was equivalent to or near human-like motion, then I'm there. Just make sure I get the extra bells and whistles -- enhanced eyes with video recording, enhanced ears with filter feature, chemical analyzer on tongue, lungs with filtration unit, smart-gun link with tactical computer, GPS, computer-enhanced brain, etc.... Sorry, let a man dream.