What is a Cyborg? A man-machine like Robocop? Or is the student with a smartphone a transhuman being? The Cybrog association, founded by student Stefan Greiner, brings together technology enthusiasts who discuss these questions. Some even implant chips, hearing aids or magnets into their bodies to expand their abilities. The goal: a more productive person.
What will humans look like in the future? Will it be able to store data and therefore communicate instantly thanks to small chips in its body? Will it not only be able to smell, taste, see, hear and feel, but also receive and send electromagnetic radiation?
This all sounds like a utopia – like ideas from films like Robocop, Terminator or Minority Report. But if you believe Stefan Greiner, this utopia has long since become reality.
The Berlin student is convinced that we are in the midst of breaking the boundaries of humanity and entering the cyborg age. And he can give good examples. »A lot of cyborg experiments are being carried out, especially in medicine. Here, pacemakers and hearing amplifiers are implanted into the body to eliminate a physical disability. But in the sports sector, chips are now being produced that measure blood pressure, heart rate and other information and send it to external devices - with the help of technology that is attached very close to the body.
The student Stefan Greiner, who is currently completing a master's degree in human factors at the Technical University of Berlin, describes himself as a cyborg. Last year he had a magnet implanted in one of his fingers to receive electromagnetic radiation. With a wire wrapped around his finger, he was able to answer calls on his iPhone. All he had to do was wave his hand in the air and then hold his finger to his ear to speak to the caller. The magnet transmitted the radiation from the cell phone from the pocket to the ear.
The magnet is now gone. It was disruptive when climbing, says Greiner. The chip with which he could send his pulse and other information to his cell phone is also no longer there. But basically he is still a cyborg. “Just like all of us, by the way.”
»Many people forget this, especially the critics of cyborg culture. But using a smartphone also implies aspects of the transhuman.«
Stefan Greiner should know. He is the founder and member of the Berlin Cyborg Association, the first association of its kind in Germany. This is where technology enthusiasts, hackers and self-proclaimed cyborgs meet who are interested in the topic, push the boundaries of humanity and want to draw attention to the topic. “We discuss current affairs, but also fundamental philosophical and anthropological questions: In which direction should the human-machine constellation go, socially and politically?” But practical application is also not neglected. »We develop devices or hack existing implants to modify them. This is the most exciting area for me. Questioning the standard image of people.” The implants are intended to expand people’s abilities.
»Human development is an evolutionary fact. People want to develop further with their tools. This is nothing new. That will always be the case.« Greiner and his association would like to propose technical solutions and initiate ideas before companies do the same on behalf of society. "We want to critically accompany the cyborg discourse and prevent Google and other companies from deciding in the future how we should deal with the human-machine issue."
Angelo Wyszengrad is also a member of the club. The cyborg, who is studying mechatronics at the Beuth University of Technology in Berlin, also has a magnet implanted under his skin with which he can receive electromagnetic waves. He also had a millimeter-sized chip implanted in his hand at a piercing studio. This chip can't do much yet, says Angelo. But purely theoretically it can be used in many ways. »In the future, many things will be possible that people are still afraid of today. If it were legally possible, such a chip could be used as a cafeteria card. Then you just have to hold out your hand when paying in the cafeteria. But society isn’t ready for it yet.”
The student notices this again and again during discussions - the ethical concerns are high: What if an outside force gets access to the electronics in our body? How can manipulation be ruled out? Angelo dismisses it. »Programmers can find solutions here. The fact is that the fusion between man and machine can no longer be stopped. Prostheses are already being manufactured today that make athletes more powerful than their implant-free competitors. »It is only a matter of time before people's opinions change and a technology like this becomes available to everyone. Until then, our aim is to bring the topic into society so that we can create a common picture. There will be a cyborg society anyway.”
And what could such a society look like? For Stefan Greiner, the scenario is literally obvious: »Computers used to be huge boxes. Today they are getting smaller and smaller and are getting closer and closer to people and expanding their abilities." This is currently happening through so-called 'wearables' such as smartphones. Now the next step should be observed: chips that are attached to the body, such as electrical tattoos. »Originally these tattoos were intended for athletes. Lactate levels could be constantly monitored via the tattoos. Then scientists accidentally discovered that these tattoos could generate electricity through sweat. Now they are to be further developed in very different ways. They could be used as bio-sensors. Motorola has already developed a tattoo that can model voices. In this respect, it is a question of social acceptance until the next step comes and the skin is broken as the boundary of the body. »That will happen soon. I'm sure. Then you will no longer need Google Glass, but you will be able to access information about implants directly in your eye.
Angelo agrees here. When he thinks about the future, he sees unlimited possibilities. "At some point it will be possible to implant chips into the brain with which we can exchange data directly - simply with our thoughts, like from hard drive to hard drive." Both students are working on ensuring that this no longer remains a fantasy, but a tangible reality.
How do you feel about the topic? Where do you see the limit to the fusion of humans and machines? Or are we all cyborgs already?
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What is a Cyborg? A man-machine like Robocop? Or is the student with a smartphone a transhuman being? The Cybrog association, founded by student Stefan Greiner, brings together technology enthusiasts who discuss these questions. Some even implant chips, hearing aids or magnets into their bodies to expand their abilities. The goal: a more productive person.
