By Jo Best, 12 November 2004 16:55
NEWS Kevin Warwick, professor of cybernetics at Reading University and a man who has wired up his nervous system to a computer and put an RFID chip in his arm, is looking forward to becoming a cyborg once again - but warned the day will come when computer viruses can infect humans as well as PCs.
Speaking this week at Consult Hyperion's fifth Digital Identity Forum, Warwick said it won't be long before those who aren't cyborgs will be considered the odd ones out.
"For those of you that want to stay human... you'll be a subspecies in the future," he said.
Warwick believes that there are advantages for a human who is networked to a computer.
Networking a human brain would mean an almost "infinite knowledge base", he said, adding it would be akin to "upgrading humans... giving us abilities we dont already have".
Warwick says the security problems that dog modern computing won't be much different from those that could plague the cyborgs of the future.
"We're looking at software viruses and biological viruses becoming one and the same," he said. "The security problems [will] be much, much greater... they will have to become critical in future."
If humans were networked, the implications of being hacked would be far more serious and attitudes towards hackers would be radically changed, he added.
"Now, hackers' illegal input into a network is tolerated," said Warwick, but if humans were connected to the internet and hacks carried out, "this would be pushing the realms of tolerance".
With his own networking experiments, in which he used his body's connectivity to operate a mechanical arm in the US, Warwick refused to publicise the IP address of his arm in case someone hijacked it.
While the advent of networked humans may be a significant way off, Warwick's experiments are intended to have a practical purpose. He has been working with Stoke Mandeville hospital on the possible implications of the networked human for those with spinal injuries; for example, to enable people to control a wheelchair through their nervous system.
Nevertheless, Warwick said the idea of marrying humanity and technology isn't currently a popular one. Talking of his RFID experiments, he said: "I got a lot of criticism, I don't know why."
Putting RFID chips in arms is now more than a novelty. Party goers at one club in Barcelona can choose to have RFID chips implanted in their arms as a means of paying for their drinks and some Mexican law enforcement officials had the chips implanted as a means of fending off attempted kidnappings.
The US Food and Drug Administration has also recently approved the use of RFID in humans. One potential application would be allowing medical staff to draw information on a patient's health from the chip.
Comments
There are 11 comments. Join the discussion
1. anonymous
Sounds more like something out of Star Trek. I'm not sure what planet this guy is on....
And we pay these people to teach our children....
2. tresise
And an RFID is exactly what?
(Ed note. Radio Frequency Identification - 'chips' which are put into or onto things which can then be tracked and monitored in supply chains or certain locations. A seach on silicon.com under RFID will likely yield hundreds of results.)
3. anonymous
Professor Kevin Warwick is a very prominent figure in the field Artificial Intelligence and robotics. Unorthodox his ideas may seem, but anyone who has read more about the man than this article states will know what I mean (http://www.kevinwarwick.com/). I admire the mans work and vision, and how anyone can knock a guy for attempting to find a way of helping those with crippling motor-disabilities is beyond me - wake up and smell the coffee! Give the guy a chance ... he's just trying to improve our quality of life. Of course what he does may not be relevant to YOU or I, but don't knock it. Especially not when you consider that research was funded to find out whether "the great British cuppa" was better made with milk first, or last! Now tell me there's some justification for that?
4. anonymous
Why is this written like this comes as a surprise to people? This topic has been discussed in-depth for at least a decade by many noted authors of speculative fiction.
5. Alice Phalen
Human beings have been networked, without benefit of silicon, for a very long time. Families, towns, religions, and clubs are a few examples of people who share bonds-- of blood, geography, or ideology-- and who take action based on those bonds.
6. Phill Barnes
As the first comment stated that sounds sooooo much like something out of Star Trek...the Borg...an entire race of cybernetic killing machines all networked together thinking as one.
I guess we are bringing science fiction closer to science fact....its a scary thought that in 100-200 years humans will be mostly cybernetic and have the capacity to talk to each other through a networked mind.
Of course..i personally think its all a load of rubbish...i don't think humans will ever like the idea (as a whole as their are always exceptions) of having devices inserted into their body as we all live in fear of privacy invasion as it is...could governments control the devices running/implanted into out system? This is of course, as long as we have a choice :)
7. Ed
Why on earth does this wierdo keep getting press. He's a laughing stock in the acedemic community. "His research" tends to involve needlessly implanting other peoples technological advances in his arm and claiming hes a cyborg. He's no more a cyborg than a granny with a hip replacement.
8. Dwight Page
To me computer viruses are getting outrageous. If the scentists can't fix them what makes you think that we can. If you get a virus, COMPLAIN.
9. rob data
Yes, it does sound like something out of Star Trek doesn't it? But so would "email" if we were still in the 60's. I don't see why each generation has its share of "that couldn't happen"-ers. Take a look at what we've achieved already. Also these RFID's will be implemented, and some WILL accept them. Think about a scared mom, "This revolutionary chip will allow you to ALWAYS know your childs whereabouts". She's already sold...
10. Joe Whitehead
Of course that mom will discover that the devil likes to present us with sweet temptations. ;)
11. anonymous
That is totally weird.What happens when you connect. can people using the computer control you like a robot.