How we'll become cyborgs and extend human potential | Hugh Herr

Summary

The speaker, an MIT professor and double amputee, shares how advanced bionic technology allows him to walk, run, and even dance using prosthetic legs. He introduces the concept of NeuroEmbodied Design, which enhances the connection between the nervous system and synthetic limbs. Highlighting the revolutionary AMI procedure, he explains how this technology restored natural movement sensations to a friend, Jim Ewing, who lost a leg in a climbing accident. The professor envisions a future where human bodies and technology merge seamlessly, expanding human capabilities and transforming the idea of disability.

Takeaways

• 🦿 The speaker is an MIT professor who designs bionic body parts, not buildings or computer systems.
• 🏔️ After losing both legs in a 1982 mountain-climbing accident, the speaker now uses advanced bionic legs to walk, run, and dance.
• 🧠 The speaker can control his bionic limbs via neural signals, but he cannot yet feel sensations through them.
• 🤖 The speaker distinguishes himself as a 'bionic man' but not yet a full 'cyborg' due to the lack of sensory feedback from his synthetic limbs.
• 🦾 At MIT, the team is working on NeuroEmbodied Design, a process that integrates biological and synthetic parts to improve communication between the body and the built environment.
• 🦴 Current amputation methods lack proper muscle interactions, which affect the natural sensations and movements of prosthetics.
• 🦿 The Agonist-Antagonist Myoneural Interface (AMI) is a breakthrough system that connects muscles to prosthetics, enabling natural sensations of movement and proprioception.
• 🧗‍♂️ The speaker’s friend, Jim Ewing, became the first person to undergo the AMI surgery, allowing him to regain natural movement and proprioception in his bionic limb.
• ⚙️ Jim Ewing’s experience with the AMI technology enabled him to naturally control and feel his synthetic limb, leading to a profound integration of the prosthetic into his body.
• 🦸‍♂️ The speaker envisions a future where human bodies are augmented with advanced technology, allowing humans to surpass their natural physical and cognitive limits, potentially becoming 'superheroes.'

Q & A

Who is the speaker in the transcript and what is their profession?

The speaker is an MIT professor who specializes in building body parts, specifically bionic legs that augment human walking and running.

What incident led the speaker to become interested in bionic limbs?

In 1982, the speaker was involved in a mountain-climbing accident that resulted in the amputation of both legs due to tissue damage from frostbite.

How does the speaker describe the technology used in their bionic legs?

The speaker's bionic legs are equipped with 24 sensors, six microprocessors, and muscle-tendon-like actuators. These technologies allow the speaker to skip, dance, and run.

What is the difference between being a 'bionic man' and a 'cyborg' as explained by the speaker?

The speaker refers to themselves as a 'bionic man' because while they can control their bionic limbs through neural signals, they do not receive sensory feedback from the limbs. A 'cyborg' would be able to feel the movement and touch of their synthetic limbs through bidirectional communication with the nervous system.

What is 'NeuroEmbodied Design' and how does it relate to the concept of a cyborg?

NeuroEmbodied Design is a methodology aimed at integrating human flesh and bone with synthetic parts to enhance communication between the nervous system and the built world. It seeks to create cyborg functionality by making synthetic limbs feel like part of the human body.

What is proprioception, and how is it affected by current amputation practices?

Proprioception is the body's ability to sense the position and movement of its limbs without visual input. Current amputation methods disrupt the dynamic interaction between muscles, which eliminates normal proprioceptive sensations in prosthetic users.

What is the 'agonist-antagonist myoneural interface' (AMI) and how does it work?

The AMI is a surgical method that connects nerves in the residual limb to two opposing muscles (agonist and antagonist). These muscles work in pairs, mimicking natural muscle dynamics, which allows biological sensors to send proprioceptive signals to the brain, enabling users to feel the position and movement of their prosthetic limb.

How did the speaker's friend Jim Ewing benefit from the AMI procedure?

Jim Ewing, a mountain climber who lost his leg in an accident, underwent the AMI procedure, which reconnected his muscles to his nervous system. As a result, he was able to control a bionic limb and experience natural proprioception, allowing him to move the prosthesis naturally and return to climbing.

What significance does the speaker attribute to Jim Ewing's experience with the bionic limb?

The speaker notes that Jim's experience showed the potential for neurological embodiment. Jim felt that the bionic limb became a part of him, rather than a separate tool, thanks to the AMI's ability to provide sensory feedback to his brain.

What are the potential future implications of NeuroEmbodied Design, according to the speaker?

The speaker believes that NeuroEmbodied Design will extend human capabilities far beyond natural physiological limits, enabling enhancements like exoskeletons for increased strength and wings for flight. This could lead to humans becoming 'superheroes' and fundamentally change what it means to be human.