This real-life cyborg has an antenna implanted into his skull

BI Tech

3 Mar 201504:28

Summary

TLDRNeil Harbison, a co-founder of the Cyborg Foundation and a cyborg himself, shares his unique experience of integrating technology into his body to overcome color blindness. With the Eyeborg, a device that translates color frequencies into sound, Harbison has been perceiving color audibly since 2004. The technology has not only enhanced his sensory capabilities but also expanded his perception to include infrared and ultraviolet colors. The narrative explores the evolution of societal reactions to his cybernetic enhancements, reflecting the growing acceptance of wearable and implantable tech. Harbison envisions a future where human augmentation is commonplace, with individuals possessing enhanced senses and additional body parts, marking a significant shift towards a cybernetic society.

Takeaways

🎼 Neil Harbison, a founder of the Cyborg Foundation, identifies as a cyborg and has a device called the Eyeborg that allows him to hear colors.
👀 The Eyeborg translates the frequency of light into sound, giving Neil the ability to perceive colors through a specific note related to the light frequency.
💀 Neil underwent surgery in 2004 to have an antenna integrated into his skull, which he feels as part of his body and enhances his sense of being a cyborg.
🌈 The Eyeborg has expanded Neil's sensory capabilities beyond normal human range, including the perception of infrared and ultraviolet colors.
📡 Neil also has Bluetooth capabilities with the Eyeborg, enabling him to receive colors from different places on the planet.
🤖 Professor Kevin Warwick and entrepreneur A. McGraw Stroh are examples of other individuals who have integrated technology into their bodies.
🛠️ Dangerous Things, a company founded by A. McGraw Stroh, sells DIY body hacking kits, indicating a growing interest in personal bionic enhancements.
🧠 Some gamers use brain stimulators to achieve superhuman focus, showing the crossover of technology into different aspects of life.
🔮 Bionics researcher Michael McAlpine predicts that technology will advance to give normal humans advanced capabilities beyond biological limitations.
📱 Neil Harbison's experience with the Eyeborg reflects how quickly technology is changing societal perceptions and interactions.
🔄 Over the years, public perception of Neil's antenna has evolved from a light to a microphone, a hands-free phone, and now is associated with Google Glass.
⏱️ As we progress into the future, it is anticipated that wearable technology will become normalized, followed by an increase in implanted technology and the merging of humans with technology.

Q & A

What is the Cyborg Foundation and who is one of its founders?
-The Cyborg Foundation is an organization that advocates for the rights and integration of cyborgs into society. Neil Harbison is one of its founders.
What is Neil Harbison's condition and how does the Eyeborg device help him?
-Neil Harbison was born completely colorblind. The Eyeborg device allows him to hear and sense colors by transposing the frequency of light into the frequency of sound, thus giving him a form of color perception.
How has the Eyeborg expanded Neil Harbison's sensory capabilities beyond normal human capability?
-The Eyeborg has expanded Neil's sensory capabilities by enabling him to perceive not just visible colors but also infrared and ultraviolet colors, which are beyond the range of normal human vision.
What kind of surgery did Neil Harbison undergo to integrate the Eyeborg?
-Neil Harbison underwent a surgery where his head was drilled and an antenna was integrated into his skull, making him feel like a cyborg and giving him a new body part.
How does the Eyeborg's technology relate to the frequency of light?
-The Eyeborg's technology is related to the frequency of light as it translates the specific frequency of light into a corresponding note in the audio range, which Neil hears.
What additional feature did Neil decide to include in the Eyeborg?
-Neil decided to include Bluetooth in the Eyeborg, which allows him to receive colors from other places on the planet.
Who is Professor Kevin Warwick and what did he do in 1998?
-Professor Kevin Warwick is a researcher in the field of bionics. In 1998, he implanted a chip in his arm, which was a radio frequency identification device.
What is the name of the company that sells do-it-yourself body hacking kits?
-The company that sells do-it-yourself body hacking kits is called Dangerous Things.
What is the future of bionics according to Michael McAlpine?
-According to Michael McAlpine, the future of bionics involves not only repairing impaired capabilities but also enhancing normal human capabilities, potentially giving humans abilities that biology never provided.
How has the social reaction to Neil Harbison's antenna changed over the years?
-The social reaction has evolved from thinking it was a light, to a microphone, to a hands-free phone, and currently, people think it's related to Google Glass or that Neil is filming them.
What does Neil Harbison predict for the future regarding technology and human integration?
-Neil Harbison predicts that by the 2040s, it will be normal to have technology implanted and to merge humans with technology, uniting cybernetics and organisms.
What is Neil Harbison's current strategy to avoid confrontation with people who think he is filming them?
-Neil Harbison is considering moving the sensor of his Eyeborg down to create less confrontation with people who might think he is filming them.

Outlines

00:00

🎼 Neil Harbison: The Color-Hearing Cyborg 🎼

Neil Harbison, a co-founder of the Cyborg Foundation, was born with complete colorblindness but has since been able to perceive color through a device called the Eyeborg. This technology translates the frequency of light into sound, allowing Neil to hear colors. The Eyeborg was surgically integrated into his skull in 2004, giving him a sense of being a cyborg. Neil has expanded his sensory capabilities to include infrared and ultraviolet colors and has even incorporated Bluetooth to receive color data from around the world. His story illustrates the rapid advancement of technology and its potential to enhance human senses beyond their natural limits.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Cyborg Foundation

The Cyborg Foundation is an organization founded by Neil Harbison, who is a cyborg himself. It is dedicated to supporting individuals who have integrated technology into their bodies to enhance their senses or capabilities. In the video, Neil Harbison discusses his personal experience as a cyborg and the role of the foundation in advocating for cyborg rights and acceptance.

💡Colorblindness

Colorblindness is a condition where a person is unable to perceive colors in the normal range. Neil Harbison was born with this condition, which is a central theme in the video as it led him to seek a technological solution to perceive color. His device, the Eyeborg, allows him to 'hear' colors, thus overcoming the limitations of his colorblindness.

💡Eyeborg

The Eyeborg is a device that Neil Harbison uses to perceive colors. It captures the dominant color in front of him and translates the frequency of light into a sound frequency that Neil can hear. This technology is a key element in the video, demonstrating how it has enabled Neil to expand his sensory experience beyond the typical human range.

💡Bone Conduction

Bone conduction is a method of transmitting sound through the bones of the skull and jaw to the inner ear. Neil Harbison has been using bone conduction since 2004 to hear colors with the Eyeborg. This technology is crucial to how Neil experiences the world around him and is a significant aspect of his cyborg identity.

💡Surgery

In the video, Neil Harbison describes the surgery he underwent to integrate the Eyeborg into his body. The procedure involved drilling into his skull to house the antenna, which is a drastic step that signifies the depth of his commitment to becoming a cyborg and the transformative potential of technology.

💡Infrared and Ultraviolet

Infrared and ultraviolet are parts of the electromagnetic spectrum that are invisible to the human eye. Neil Harbison mentions including these colors in his perception through the Eyeborg, which allows him to perceive beyond the normal human visual spectrum. This is an example of how technology can enhance human capabilities.

💡Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a wireless technology that enables devices to communicate over short distances. Neil Harbison uses Bluetooth with his Eyeborg to receive colors from other places on the planet, which is an innovative application of this technology to extend his sensory experience globally.

💡Cybernetics

Cybernetics is the field of science that deals with communication and control in the animal and machine. The video discusses the merging of humans and technology, which is a fundamental concept in cybernetics. Neil Harbison's experience as a cyborg exemplifies the practical application of cybernetics in enhancing human senses and capabilities.

💡Body Hacking

Body hacking refers to the practice of modifying one's body with technology to enhance or augment its capabilities. The video mentions several individuals, including Professor Kevin Warwick and entrepreneur A. McGraw Stroh, who have implanted chips or devices in their bodies for various purposes. This concept is central to the theme of the video, illustrating the growing trend of humans integrating technology into their bodies.

💡Bionics

Bionics, also known as biomimetics, is the application of biological methods and systems found in nature to the study and design of engineering systems and modern technology. The video discusses how bionics can be used to give people with impaired capabilities the ability to repair those capabilities and even enhance them beyond what biology naturally provides.

💡Social Reaction

Social reaction refers to how society perceives and reacts to new technologies, especially those that alter human capabilities or appearance. Neil Harbison talks about the changing perceptions of his Eyeborg antenna over the years, which reflects the evolving social attitudes towards cyborg technology and its acceptance.

💡Transition into Cyber

The transition into cyber refers to the shift towards a society where technology is deeply integrated with human life and identity. Neil Harbison predicts that in the coming decades, it will become normal to have technology implanted in our bodies, merging humans and technology. This concept is a central theme in the video, suggesting a future where the line between human and machine becomes increasingly blurred.

Highlights

Neil Harbison, a founder of the Cyborg Foundation, identifies as a cyborg and has been able to hear color since 2004 through a device called the Eyeborg.

The Eyeborg picks up the dominant color in front of Neil and transposes the frequency of light into a sound, allowing him to hear colors.

Neil underwent surgery to have an antenna integrated into his skull, which he describes as feeling like a natural part of his body.

The Eyeborg has expanded Neil's sensory capabilities beyond normal human range, including the ability to perceive infrared and ultraviolet colors.

Neil has also integrated Bluetooth into his system to receive colors from other places on the planet, further extending his sensory experience.

Professor Kevin Warwick, another notable figure in the field, implanted a chip in his arm in 1998, demonstrating the potential for human-technology integration.

Entrepreneur Amon Strow has RFID chips in his hands, enabling him to unlock his car or computer with a wave.

Dangerous Things, a company founded by Amon Strow, sells DIY body hacking kits, indicating a growing market for personal cyborg enhancements.

Some gamers use brain stimulators to achieve superhuman focus, showing the crossover between gaming and cyborg technology.

Bionics researcher Michael McAlpine predicts that technology will advance to give normal humans advanced capabilities beyond biological limitations.

Neil Harbison's experience illustrates the rapid transformation of technology and its impact on culture and social reactions.

Public perception of Neil's antenna has evolved over the years, reflecting changing attitudes towards technology and privacy.

Neil is considering altering the appearance of his antenna to reduce discomfort in social situations where people may feel they are being filmed.

The speaker anticipates that by the late 2020s, wearable technology will become normalized, leading to an increase in implanted technology.

In the 2040s, it is predicted that having technology implanted will be the norm, signifying a complete merger of humans and technology.

The Cyborg Foundation aims to promote the acceptance and understanding of cyborgs and the potential for new senses and body parts.

The transcript highlights the ongoing dialogue and societal adaptation to the integration of technology into the human body.