It's a fucking replicator from Star Trek. This model is even called "Replicator". I want a 3D printer so fucking bad.
I'm constantly surprised by how much science fiction drives forward technology.
3D printers are a good example. Waaaaaay less cool than a replicator.
And I don't care what anyone says, we have flying cars, but they're called helicopters.
Have you seen this? Made with a 3D printer. Blew my mind. All I want is an affordable 3D printer with at least 768 CU in build area and I'm golden. This guy used a $30,000 machine (which he "got a good deal on") to do this.
Some scientists figured out a way to decrypt the encryption used by the eye to send information to the brain. This means they can replace organic eyes with cameras, and they have done so in animal testing. If you watch the process being explained in the presentation, you'll realize that the information sent to the brain doesn't necessarily have to come from a live camera stream.
This means it's possible to play movies directly in your head.
The presentation also explains that the same method of decrypting information can also be used on other senses. Through this process, it's theoretically possible to completely replace all organic senses with artificial data input: Virtual Reality. We're seeing the beginnings of the Matrix here!
And controlling your virtual avatar shouldn't be difficult, what with all the new devices that interpret electrical activity inside the brain. Another method might be to intercept the information from your brain to your muscles and translate them into movement of your avatar. This should be relatively easy compared to the difficulty of creating the information input devices.
I don't know if this terrifyingly awesome, or awesomely terrifying
I should add, if you can control an avatar in a virtual reality, you should also be able to control an android body. It's the same principle. Sort of. In fact, you could do away with an organic body altogether and just be a brain inside a robotic body.
Someone mentioned Ghost in the Shell earlier. This is it.
[EDIT] I just thought of something neat. Artificial synesthesia. You could take in image from the hubble telescope, encode it, and feed it into your other senses. You'd be able to smell distant galaxies or listen to the harmony of the spheres.
You could do other stuff too. Imagine being able to feel the color green or taste the sound of bells. Imagine what wonders we'll experience when artists get hold of this technology.
And the best part is that it's all just information. You could put life experiences on a website or something. Create a torrent of memories, a cloud of feelings.
It's a fucking replicator from Star Trek. This model is even called "Replicator". I want a 3D printer so fucking bad.
I'm constantly surprised by how much science fiction drives forward technology.
3D printers are a good example. Waaaaaay less cool than a replicator.
And I don't care what anyone says, we have flying cars, but they're called helicopters.
Have you seen this? Made with a 3D printer. Blew my mind. All I want is an affordable 3D printer with at least 768 CU in build area and I'm golden. This guy used a $30,000 machine (which he "got a good deal on") to do this.
I can't wait for the barrage of lawsuits Games Workshop etc will aim at the internet when I can just go buy a $100 LaserJet 3D or whatever and download model files off the internet and hit Ctrl-P to create my own army.
Their blog is a bit vague on the actual process, but 3D printing was involved in this. Can't say if they mean that they 3D-printed their master mold and then cast this traditionally or if this is an actual 3D-printed master model they used to make the mold, but it looks great either way.
I've seen that particular resin used in a lot of 3D-printed stuff, so it might be the 3D-printed master model.
I always find it amazing that all the theoretical details (which were all the details anybody had at the time) of Nuclear Fission were just kicking around Europe in plain text letters between scientists. Then things get a little quiet as the realize just how much bang such a reaction would release.
The story of stealth technology is similar - it was built on Soviet research they released publicly. The key paper was, in the US, classified at the highest levels.
Around the time Deus Ex: Human Revolution came out, I saw a documentary or something like that that claimed that among the things the game actually got right was that the biggest thing holding us back from having mechanical augmentations directly hardwired into our body is the issue of glial tissue buildup where nerve endings meet wires
is that actually true? are we seriously that close?
Around the time Deus Ex: Human Revolution came out, I saw a documentary or something like that that claimed that among the things the game actually got right was that the biggest thing holding us back from having mechanical augmentations directly hardwired into our body is the issue of glial tissue buildup where nerve endings meet wires
is that actually true? are we seriously that close?
Yes.
One of the biggest problems with implants is that it's nigh-impossible to stop the immune system from trying to reject them. If you could get them properly hooked up to nerves, then technology like the cochlear implant makes it pretty clear we have the necessary computer power to actually decode nerve signals.
well, it's not like we'd have adam jensen tomorrow if we could figure out the rejection issue. but it is one of the barriers to more advanced prosthetics
it was the smallest on the list but
Pluto was a planet and I'll never forget
One of the biggest problems with implants is that it's nigh-impossible to stop the immune system from trying to reject them.
That's not a huge problem, actually. There are many materials that don't elicit an immune response. It's just that the cheap-ass materials that we WANT to use can cause problems. The glial cell buildup isn't an immune response, either, and the approach using wires isn't an effective one due to corrosion and other age-based wear and tear. The overall problem of the man-machine interface at the contact point is correct, however.
well, it's not like we'd have adam jensen tomorrow if we could figure out the rejection issue. but it is one of the barriers to more advanced prosthetics
Well, the other is power.
We could probably do a lot with wireless detection of nerve impulses if it was practical to keep stuff like that powered for long enough periods of time.
Yeah, but you couldn't then resell the blacksmith.
You want a Blacksmith? I can get you a Blacksmith, believe me. There are ways, Dude. You don't wanna know about it, believe me.
I wonder if you could make a monocle with a 3D printer. I would make all sorts of geeky items and pass them out to friends during board games and D&D. Just not sure about the 30K price tag.
Yeah, but you couldn't then resell the blacksmith.
You want a Blacksmith? I can get you a Blacksmith, believe me. There are ways, Dude. You don't wanna know about it, believe me.
I wonder if you could make a monocle with a 3D printer. I would make all sorts of geeky items and pass them out to friends during board games and D&D. Just not sure about the 30K price tag.
Most of the hobby kit type 3d printers can be bought fully assembled for around a grand and a half. The newest Makerbot is $1700 or so.
You won't get super-fine print resolution from them but they're pretty good.
If there was the will to do so, I'm pretty confident that a large consumer electronics company could churn out a home 3D printer with a cost in the hundreds of pounds.
One of the biggest problems with implants is that it's nigh-impossible to stop the immune system from trying to reject them.
That's not a huge problem, actually. There are many materials that don't elicit an immune response. It's just that the cheap-ass materials that we WANT to use can cause problems. The glial cell buildup isn't an immune response, either, and the approach using wires isn't an effective one due to corrosion and other age-based wear and tear. The overall problem of the man-machine interface at the contact point is correct, however.
Of course it is a huge problem. Even self-seeded bioconstructs face the same immune rejection.
I can't wait for the barrage of lawsuits Games Workshop etc will aim at the internet when I can just go buy a $100 LaserJet 3D or whatever and download model files off the internet and hit Ctrl-P to create my own army.
Their blog is a bit vague on the actual process, but 3D printing was involved in this. Can't say if they mean that they 3D-printed their master mold and then cast this traditionally or if this is an actual 3D-printed master model they used to make the mold, but it looks great either way.
I've seen that particular resin used in a lot of 3D-printed stuff, so it might be the 3D-printed master model.
Well, when that day comes GW will just focus on their rulebook and tournament making skills, which means they will last about as long as a paper bag in a blast furnace.
Every time I'm reminded of 3D printers I'm both exited and dismayed when it comes to advances in the resolution of the prints. It is definitely improving and getting cheaper, just not as fast as I want it to.
The world is going to look very strange for a long time after 3Dprinting becomes cheap and common. I'm guessing the RIAA/MIAA piracy battles will look tame by comparison.
What I don't understand is why the US army isn't a lot more into it, since a lot of supply problems become a simpler if you only need a few containers with build-in fabricators, power sources and the raw materials. Maybe defence spending cuts will help with that. Although I guess defence contractors have a lot to say about it not happening too.
Even better, bury your brain in a nuclear blast resistant shell that is wirelessly connected to your robot body - that way you're out of harms way should you be hit by a truck or fall down a mountain.
My pet theory is that we'll largely skip cybernetic implants and go direct to cloned/custom-grown bodyparts.
I disagree. Cybernetic implants will be more acceptable to society then cloning or cloned bodyparts. The religious right would throw a hissy fit over it. Remember how they reacted to stem cell research? It's that times ten, since they'd actually have a somewhat point about clones have souls.
My pet theory is that we'll largely skip cybernetic implants and go direct to cloned/custom-grown bodyparts.
I disagree. Cybernetic implants will be more acceptable to society then cloning or cloned bodyparts. The religious right would throw a hissy fit over it. Remember how they reacted to stem cell research? It's that times ten, since they'd actually have a somewhat point about clones have souls.
It's possible to make a heart without resorting to cloning.
I heard about a research where the scientists removed the cells from a heart, leaving only the protein scaffold. Then they sprayed it with stem cells. The heart regrew and then started beating. So it's possible to make hearts using the scaffolds of pig hearts.
My pet theory is that we'll largely skip cybernetic implants and go direct to cloned/custom-grown bodyparts.
I disagree. Cybernetic implants will be more acceptable to society then cloning or cloned bodyparts. The religious right would throw a hissy fit over it. Remember how they reacted to stem cell research? It's that times ten, since they'd actually have a somewhat point about clones have souls.
It's possible to make a heart without resorting to cloning.
I heard about a research where the scientists removed the cells from a heart, leaving only the protein scaffold. Then they sprayed it with stem cells. The heart regrew and then started beating. So it's possible to make hearts using the scaffolds of pig hearts.
I remember hearing about that. How wide spread is the technology? Is it feasable on a national scale?
The religious right would primairly care about souls about full clones since they're people, not bodyparts. Not sure how they'd care about artificial or cloned organs but I don't expect them them to like it.
The religious right will go along with whatever the fuck the rest of us want. Their day is done, and they only have traction on stem cells because we don't have a viable life-saving technology from them yet.
Start pumping out cloned livers and kidneys for people, and their ignorant wailing will hold as much traction as metaphor.
Well, when that day comes GW will just focus on their rulebook and tournament making skills, which means they will last about as long as a paper bag in a blast furnace.
Every time I'm reminded of 3D printers I'm both exited and dismayed when it comes to advances in the resolution of the prints. It is definitely improving and getting cheaper, just not as fast as I want it to.
The world is going to look very strange for a long time after 3Dprinting becomes cheap and common. I'm guessing the RIAA/MIAA piracy battles will look tame by comparison.
What I don't understand is why the US army isn't a lot more into it, since a lot of supply problems become a simpler if you only need a few containers with build-in fabricators, power sources and the raw materials. Maybe defence spending cuts will help with that. Although I guess defence contractors have a lot to say about it not happening too.
I was going to be all "3d printing can't match the strength requirements the military has" but then I researched the crazy new stuff European firms are doing and advances in metal printing. They've got stuff being used in medical replacements, engine parts, aircraft, etc. Granted, metal printing is leagues more expensive than plastic printing, but one day that price will come down. Also, a lot of manufacturing companies are eagerly looking to switch to 3d printing because it's also cheaper per unit for many processes.
Until doing research spurred me, I always thought that 3d printed stuff would be inferior to modern production except for 'toy stuff'. I assumed that it would be weaker or more expensive per unit. Holyshit was I wrong. It's got just as good or better strength properties, better QC for the expensive printers, and is projected to be cheaper to boot (once economies of scale kick in).
The religious right will go along with whatever the fuck the rest of us want. Their day is done, and they only have traction on stem cells because we don't have a viable life-saving technology from them yet.
Start pumping out cloned livers and kidneys for people, and their ignorant wailing will hold as much traction as metaphor.
They'll go along with whatever will help them. It's like the anti-abortion protesters who accidentally get pregnant, then go to the clinics they picket at.
Any problems they have with cloned organs will last exactly until they end up needing one to save their life.
• We live in a world dominated by a vast, slowly decaying empire that gets quite literally superhuman powers by feeding on what we may as well call the blood of the Earth;
• That empire is ruled by a decadent aristocracy that holds court in soaring towers and bolsters its crumbling authority by conjuring vast amounts of wealth out of thin air;
• Backing the aristocracy is a caste of corrupt sorcerers whose incantations, projected into every home through the power of the blood of the Earth, keep the populace disorganized, deluded and passive;
• Entire provinces of the empire are ravaged by droughts, storms, and other disasters caused by the misuse of the Earth’s blood, while prophecies from the past warn of much worse to come;
• Meanwhile, far from the centers of power, the members of a scattered fellowship struggle to find and learn the forgotten lore of an earlier time, which might just hold the secret of survival...
Scientists have figured out a way to make stem cells from skin cells, so the religious right don't have a leg to stand on.
Imagine if we'd actually listened to the religious folk when scientists still needed to harvest stem cells from discarded fetuses. We'd have none of this awesome new technology and we'd never have learned how to make stem cells ourselves.
Regarding the printing organs question, everything I know comes from the casual perusal of the TED Talks archive, but it shouldn't be difficult to produce more of those 3D printers. The process of printing organs isn't essentially different from all other forms of 3D printing, and I can buy a low-resolution printer for a few thousand bucks today, if I wanted to.
It'd be more difficult to grow the cells used in building the organ, but I can't imagine that this will remain an obstacle for much longer. I guess scanning the organ that needs replacing would be difficult and expensive, but do we really need a perfect fit? Couldn't some enterprising doctor scan a bunch of organs from a bunch of people and put it on Pirate Bay?
First the scientists need to test if those printed organs actually work, though.
One of the biggest problems with implants is that it's nigh-impossible to stop the immune system from trying to reject them.
That's not a huge problem, actually. There are many materials that don't elicit an immune response. It's just that the cheap-ass materials that we WANT to use can cause problems. The glial cell buildup isn't an immune response, either, and the approach using wires isn't an effective one due to corrosion and other age-based wear and tear. The overall problem of the man-machine interface at the contact point is correct, however.
All I know when it comes to this subject is that the body doesn't have much of a problem with titanium - so let's make all our implants made out of that metal.
The religious right will go along with whatever the fuck the rest of us want. Their day is done, and they only have traction on stem cells because we don't have a viable life-saving technology from them yet.
Start pumping out cloned livers and kidneys for people, and their ignorant wailing will hold as much traction as metaphor.
Their power is waning. They're not powerless, though. They still retain too much influence on society to my liking.
Here's a hypothetical: lets say you lost your non-dominant arm in some sort of accident. Now, this is the future, and you have a choice between a mechanical replacement and a cloned replacement. Both would be just as functional as your old arm in dexterity, strength, ability to sense heat, or any other metric. Would you chose the mechanical or biological arm?
I think I'm the oddball here: I would take the mechanical one. I like to tinker
Here's a hypothetical: lets say you lost your non-dominant arm in some sort of accident. Now, this is the future, and you have a choice between a mechanical replacement and a cloned replacement. Both would be just as functional as your old arm in dexterity, strength, ability to sense heat, or any other metric. Would you chose the mechanical or biological arm?
I think I'm the oddball here: I would take the mechanical one. I like to tinker
Biological. People won't freak out around it and it will be like if I had never lost that appendage in the first place.
Why not get a mechanical one that's better? I mean I assume it would still be more resistant to damage, but if it was just a case of mechanical being exactly the same, then I'd go biological.
But there are so many things that could make the mechanical one better in simple ways, so if they could do that, mechanical.
Why not get a mechanical one that's better? I mean I assume it would still be more resistant to damage, but if it was just a case of mechanical being exactly the same, then I'd go biological.
But there are so many things that could make the mechanical one better in simple ways, so if they could do that, mechanical.
Well, when that day comes GW will just focus on their rulebook and tournament making skills, which means they will last about as long as a paper bag in a blast furnace.
Every time I'm reminded of 3D printers I'm both exited and dismayed when it comes to advances in the resolution of the prints. It is definitely improving and getting cheaper, just not as fast as I want it to.
The world is going to look very strange for a long time after 3Dprinting becomes cheap and common. I'm guessing the RIAA/MIAA piracy battles will look tame by comparison.
What I don't understand is why the US army isn't a lot more into it, since a lot of supply problems become a simpler if you only need a few containers with build-in fabricators, power sources and the raw materials. Maybe defence spending cuts will help with that. Although I guess defence contractors have a lot to say about it not happening too.
I was going to be all "3d printing can't match the strength requirements the military has" but then I researched the crazy new stuff European firms are doing and advances in metal printing. They've got stuff being used in medical replacements, engine parts, aircraft, etc. Granted, metal printing is leagues more expensive than plastic printing, but one day that price will come down. Also, a lot of manufacturing companies are eagerly looking to switch to 3d printing because it's also cheaper per unit for many processes.
Until doing research spurred me, I always thought that 3d printed stuff would be inferior to modern production except for 'toy stuff'. I assumed that it would be weaker or more expensive per unit. Holyshit was I wrong. It's got just as good or better strength properties, better QC for the expensive printers, and is projected to be cheaper to boot (once economies of scale kick in).
I can't wait for the day I can download a car.
Also I would totally get bionic eyes if they had cameras and telescoping lenses and stuff in them. Eyeball v.1 gets the job done, but I'm ready for a more refined optical receptor.
Why not get a mechanical one that's better? I mean I assume it would still be more resistant to damage, but if it was just a case of mechanical being exactly the same, then I'd go biological.
But there are so many things that could make the mechanical one better in simple ways, so if they could do that, mechanical.
I'd prefer to feel normal.
I'd prefer to feel AWESOME.
That and I'd get a latex mold of a hand to put over it and recreate the scene from terminator 2.
sorry I forgot to mention: in this scenario, the state of the art mechanical appendage at that point in time is functionally similar to the biological one. like with any technology, the company that makes it is of course working on a new model, but there is no guarantee that the next model will even come out, or that people will want it if it does (there is a lifetime guarantee of support if anything goes wrong with it though). lets also assume that its much easier to trade in your mechanical limb for a better model later (if one does indeed get produced), since a biological replacement is always a complicated surgical operation
in short, the time of your accident is when mechanical arms have just started to work as well as natural ones, and biologically cloned arms have just come to market
edit: probably doesn't change anyone's answer, but I thought I should clarify
One of the biggest problems with implants is that it's nigh-impossible to stop the immune system from trying to reject them.
That's not a huge problem, actually. There are many materials that don't elicit an immune response. It's just that the cheap-ass materials that we WANT to use can cause problems. The glial cell buildup isn't an immune response, either, and the approach using wires isn't an effective one due to corrosion and other age-based wear and tear. The overall problem of the man-machine interface at the contact point is correct, however.
Of course it is a huge problem. Even self-seeded bioconstructs face the same immune rejection.
Of course, they do. They're biological. No matter how much you "clean" them up, as a biological construct they are still going to have surface antigens to interact with, eliciting an immune response.
When we're talking about synthetic devices made of inert materials that aren't biological grafts, though (like titanium and ceramic), you are far more likely to have a post-surgical complication from infections or bleeding than an immune response rejection. There is a tiny population of humans that DO have problems with certain metals used in synthetic devices, but these constitute less than 0.1% of the cases of implant complications. The body usually builds up scar tissue around the foreign body (depending on where it's implanted), which is a concern. But cases of rejection of synthetic devices are not very common.
Is there an aesthetic difference between the mechanical and biological arms
like is it a perfect replica or are we talking claw arm
not like a claw arm. you'd have all 5 fingers and a similar range of motion. but its probably covered in metal or plastic, or perhaps a latex covering. with the latex option, people could tell up close fairly easily from the seams, but not from the other side of the street
with the metal or plastic or whatever, if you were wearing a jacket it might just look like you were wearing a glove
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eww
Have you seen this? Made with a 3D printer. Blew my mind. All I want is an affordable 3D printer with at least 768 CU in build area and I'm golden. This guy used a $30,000 machine (which he "got a good deal on") to do this.
http://mydisguises.com/2011/11/17/incredible-3d-printed-cecil-harvey-costume/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBVCi0PmW24
LSD? Caus we have that.
I can't help but think that with $30,000 I could just pay a blacksmith to make me a real suit of armor.
Their blog is a bit vague on the actual process, but 3D printing was involved in this. Can't say if they mean that they 3D-printed their master mold and then cast this traditionally or if this is an actual 3D-printed master model they used to make the mold, but it looks great either way.
I've seen that particular resin used in a lot of 3D-printed stuff, so it might be the 3D-printed master model.
The story of stealth technology is similar - it was built on Soviet research they released publicly. The key paper was, in the US, classified at the highest levels.
Around the time Deus Ex: Human Revolution came out, I saw a documentary or something like that that claimed that among the things the game actually got right was that the biggest thing holding us back from having mechanical augmentations directly hardwired into our body is the issue of glial tissue buildup where nerve endings meet wires
is that actually true? are we seriously that close?
Yes.
One of the biggest problems with implants is that it's nigh-impossible to stop the immune system from trying to reject them. If you could get them properly hooked up to nerves, then technology like the cochlear implant makes it pretty clear we have the necessary computer power to actually decode nerve signals.
Pluto was a planet and I'll never forget
Well, the other is power.
We could probably do a lot with wireless detection of nerve impulses if it was practical to keep stuff like that powered for long enough periods of time.
You want a Blacksmith? I can get you a Blacksmith, believe me. There are ways, Dude. You don't wanna know about it, believe me.
I wonder if you could make a monocle with a 3D printer. I would make all sorts of geeky items and pass them out to friends during board games and D&D. Just not sure about the 30K price tag.
And my favorite sciencey website I visit daily to cheer myself up after reading CNN or BBC.
http://www.physorg.com/news/2012-01-closer-nuclear-fusion.html
Most of the hobby kit type 3d printers can be bought fully assembled for around a grand and a half. The newest Makerbot is $1700 or so.
You won't get super-fine print resolution from them but they're pretty good.
If there was the will to do so, I'm pretty confident that a large consumer electronics company could churn out a home 3D printer with a cost in the hundreds of pounds.
Well, when that day comes GW will just focus on their rulebook and tournament making skills, which means they will last about as long as a paper bag in a blast furnace.
Every time I'm reminded of 3D printers I'm both exited and dismayed when it comes to advances in the resolution of the prints. It is definitely improving and getting cheaper, just not as fast as I want it to.
The world is going to look very strange for a long time after 3Dprinting becomes cheap and common. I'm guessing the RIAA/MIAA piracy battles will look tame by comparison.
What I don't understand is why the US army isn't a lot more into it, since a lot of supply problems become a simpler if you only need a few containers with build-in fabricators, power sources and the raw materials. Maybe defence spending cuts will help with that. Although I guess defence contractors have a lot to say about it not happening too.
.
Island. Being on fire.
That's a Surrogate.
I disagree. Cybernetic implants will be more acceptable to society then cloning or cloned bodyparts. The religious right would throw a hissy fit over it. Remember how they reacted to stem cell research? It's that times ten, since they'd actually have a somewhat point about clones have souls.
It's possible to make a heart without resorting to cloning.
I heard about a research where the scientists removed the cells from a heart, leaving only the protein scaffold. Then they sprayed it with stem cells. The heart regrew and then started beating. So it's possible to make hearts using the scaffolds of pig hearts.
But why do that when you can just print organs?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RMx31GnNXY
I remember hearing about that. How wide spread is the technology? Is it feasable on a national scale?
The religious right would primairly care about souls about full clones since they're people, not bodyparts. Not sure how they'd care about artificial or cloned organs but I don't expect them them to like it.
Start pumping out cloned livers and kidneys for people, and their ignorant wailing will hold as much traction as metaphor.
I was going to be all "3d printing can't match the strength requirements the military has" but then I researched the crazy new stuff European firms are doing and advances in metal printing. They've got stuff being used in medical replacements, engine parts, aircraft, etc. Granted, metal printing is leagues more expensive than plastic printing, but one day that price will come down. Also, a lot of manufacturing companies are eagerly looking to switch to 3d printing because it's also cheaper per unit for many processes.
Until doing research spurred me, I always thought that 3d printed stuff would be inferior to modern production except for 'toy stuff'. I assumed that it would be weaker or more expensive per unit. Holyshit was I wrong. It's got just as good or better strength properties, better QC for the expensive printers, and is projected to be cheaper to boot (once economies of scale kick in).
I can't wait for the day I can download a car.
They'll go along with whatever will help them. It's like the anti-abortion protesters who accidentally get pregnant, then go to the clinics they picket at.
Any problems they have with cloned organs will last exactly until they end up needing one to save their life.
Imagine if we'd actually listened to the religious folk when scientists still needed to harvest stem cells from discarded fetuses. We'd have none of this awesome new technology and we'd never have learned how to make stem cells ourselves.
Regarding the printing organs question, everything I know comes from the casual perusal of the TED Talks archive, but it shouldn't be difficult to produce more of those 3D printers. The process of printing organs isn't essentially different from all other forms of 3D printing, and I can buy a low-resolution printer for a few thousand bucks today, if I wanted to.
It'd be more difficult to grow the cells used in building the organ, but I can't imagine that this will remain an obstacle for much longer. I guess scanning the organ that needs replacing would be difficult and expensive, but do we really need a perfect fit? Couldn't some enterprising doctor scan a bunch of organs from a bunch of people and put it on Pirate Bay?
First the scientists need to test if those printed organs actually work, though.
All I know when it comes to this subject is that the body doesn't have much of a problem with titanium - so let's make all our implants made out of that metal.
Their power is waning. They're not powerless, though. They still retain too much influence on society to my liking.
I think I'm the oddball here: I would take the mechanical one. I like to tinker
Biological. People won't freak out around it and it will be like if I had never lost that appendage in the first place.
But there are so many things that could make the mechanical one better in simple ways, so if they could do that, mechanical.
I'd prefer to feel normal.
Also I would totally get bionic eyes if they had cameras and telescoping lenses and stuff in them. Eyeball v.1 gets the job done, but I'm ready for a more refined optical receptor.
I'd prefer to feel AWESOME.
That and I'd get a latex mold of a hand to put over it and recreate the scene from terminator 2.
in short, the time of your accident is when mechanical arms have just started to work as well as natural ones, and biologically cloned arms have just come to market
edit: probably doesn't change anyone's answer, but I thought I should clarify
like is it a perfect replica or are we talking claw arm
When we're talking about synthetic devices made of inert materials that aren't biological grafts, though (like titanium and ceramic), you are far more likely to have a post-surgical complication from infections or bleeding than an immune response rejection. There is a tiny population of humans that DO have problems with certain metals used in synthetic devices, but these constitute less than 0.1% of the cases of implant complications. The body usually builds up scar tissue around the foreign body (depending on where it's implanted), which is a concern. But cases of rejection of synthetic devices are not very common.
not like a claw arm. you'd have all 5 fingers and a similar range of motion. but its probably covered in metal or plastic, or perhaps a latex covering. with the latex option, people could tell up close fairly easily from the seams, but not from the other side of the street
with the metal or plastic or whatever, if you were wearing a jacket it might just look like you were wearing a glove
edit: kinda like this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWmeBeRb1RY