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Along the way, they discuss the early days of David’s HedWeb, the Abolitionist Project, the Three Supers of Transhumanism (Superhappiness, Superintelligence, and Superlongevity), philosophy and history of science, the nature of intelligence, field theories of consciousness, anesthesia, empathogens, anti-tolerance drugs, and much more.

Some of the key essays discussed:

Utopian Pharmacology — “Mental Health in the Third Millennium — MDMA and Beyond” — https://mdma.net/

Future Opioids: The Quest for a Drug-Free Society — https://www.opioids.com/

Cyborgs transhumanist and futurists.


Museum of Science | Boston, MA
March 28th, 2018

We’ve all heard of Terminator, Blade Runner, and other science fiction about cyborgs. But how far is reality from fiction? Can scientists transform humans into machine-like creatures, stronger, smarter and, who knows, even immortal?

This post is also available in: he עברית (Hebrew)

China has developed the world’s largest electric-powered quadruped bionic robot, which is expected to join logistics delivery and reconnaissance missions in complex environments that have proven too challenging for human soldiers, including remote border regions and highly risky combat zones, analysts said.

In December, China announced that it would work to become a leading global player in robotics by 2025 under a five-year plan.

Underwater robots are being widely used as tools in a variety of marine tasks. The RobDact is one such bionic underwater vehicle, inspired by a fish called Dactylopteridae known for its enlarged pectoral fins. A research team has combined computational fluid dynamics and a force measurement experiment to study the RobDact, creating an accurate hydrodynamic model of the RobDact that allows them to better control the vehicle.

The team published their findings in Cyborg and Bionic Systems on May 31, 2022.

Underwater robots are now used for many marine tasks, including in the fishery industry, underwater exploration, and mapping. Most of the traditional underwater robots are driven by a propeller, which is effective for cruising in at a stable speed. However, underwater robots often need to be able to move or hover at low speeds in turbulent waters, while performing a specific task. It is difficult for the propeller to move the robot in these conditions. Another factor when an is moving at low speeds in unstable flowing waters is the propeller’s “twitching” movement. This twitching generates unpredictable fluid pulses that reduce the robot’s efficiency.

A year after Tesla announced its humanoid robot — the Tesla Bot — the conceptual general-purpose robot is up against some Chinese competition. On the sidelines of Xiaomi’s Autumn launch event in Beijing, the company announced its first full-size humanoid bionic robot. The rather unimaginatively named Xiaomi CyberOne is the second robotic product from Xiaomi and comes a year after the announcement of the Xiaomi Cyberdog, which they showcased at their 2021 Autumn launch event.

CyberOne
Xiaomi.

Like most other humanoid robots, most aspects of the Xiaomi CyberOne are still “work in progress.” Xiaomi claims that future, evolved variants of the robot will not only have a high degree of emotional intelligence but will also gain the ability to perceive human emotions. Despite the fact that the first-generation CyberOne demoed on stage seemed to have trouble walking, work is underway to improve its ability to master the art of bipedal movement.

A pair of UCLA bioengineers and a former postdoctoral scholar have developed a new class of bionic 3D camera systems that can mimic flies’ multiview vision and bats’ natural sonar sensing, resulting in multidimensional imaging with extraordinary depth range that can also scan through blind spots.

Powered by computational image processing, the camera can decipher the size and shape of objects hidden around corners or behind other items. The technology could be incorporated into autonomous vehicles or medical imaging tools with sensing capabilities far beyond what is considered state of the art today. This research has been published in Nature Communications.

In the dark, bats can visualize a vibrant picture of their surroundings by using a form of echolocation, or sonar. Their high-frequency squeaks bounce off their surroundings and are picked back up by their ears. The minuscule differences in how long it takes for the echo to reach the nocturnal animals and the intensity of the sound tell them in real time where things are, what’s in the way and the proximity of potential prey.

Nicely done Tim!


https://www.timventura.com — Dr. Natasha Vita-More discusses transhumanism, human augmentation, life extension, and cryopreservation, and provides valuable insights into the latest medical advances empowering body augmentation & super-longevity in humans.

Our interview begins with a philosophical discussion of transhumanism, including what it is and why this emerging community is growing so rapidly — as it is driven forward by rapid advances in medical technology and an aging boomer population.

‘Tis all in the senses.

On her blog, Lepht Anonym describes herself as “a faceless, genderless British biohacker. It lacks both gods and money and likes people, science, and practical transhumanism.” Anonym practices, sometimes referred to as grinding — a subculture of biohacking — DIY surgery to insert electronic hardware under the skin.

At the Grinderfest in 2019, Anonym inserted a little “pirate box” device in her upper right arm.

The Grindfest\