The man who grew a finger

more here

Good, Better, Best: The Human Quest for Enhancement

report of this now online
Summary Report of an Invitational Workshop
Convened by the Scientific Freedom, Responsibility and Law Program
American Association for the Advancement of Science
June 1-2, 2006
more here

new column of mine is out Bionics

seehere

Making Deaf Ears Hear with Light

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Newest column of mine NBICS, Cultural Identity and Diversity, and the CBD

NBICS, Cultural Identity and Diversity, and the CBD
this is the second part on the convention on biological diversity CBD
first one is
here

and all my columns are listed here

Nanobionics

from Nanowerk

Children with disabilities ‘as happy as classmates’

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my new column out: NBICS and the Convention on Biological diversity (CBD)

see here
a list of all columns can be found here

New column out: NBICS and Other Convergences: The Paralympics, the Olympics, Human Enhancement Technology and the Doping Discourse

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Another of my biweekly columns out

New column here
The column is now published by two sources: Innovationwatch.com (every 15th of a month) and Healthwrights (every 30th of a month)

Is the world ready for cyborg athletes?

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Buy your portable brain-computer interface here

If you can’t wait until next year to get your hands on a Project Epoc EEG cap, never fear: a German company called g.tec (Guger Technologies) is now offering the world’s first commercially available brain computer interface (BCI).
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TR10: Neuron Control

Karl Deisseroth’s genetically engineered “light switch,” which lets scientists turn selected parts of the brain on and off, may help improve treatments for depression and other disorders.
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references for Psychological Enhancements: The Reluctance to Enhance Fundamental Traits

JASON RIIS
New York University - Stern School of Business
JOSEPH P. SIMMONS
Yale School of Management
GEOFFREY P. GOODWIN
Princeton University - Department of Psychology March 1, 2007
Abstract:
Four studies examined young healthy individuals’ willingness to take drugs intended to enhance various social, emotional, and cognitive abilities. We found that people were much more reluctant to enhance traits believed to be highly fundamental to the self (e.g., social comfort) than traits considered less fundamental (e.g., concentration ability). Moral acceptability of a trait enhancement strongly predicted people’s desire to legalize those enhancements, but not their willingness to take those enhancements. Ad taglines that framed enhancements as enabling rather than enhancing the fundamental self increased people’s interest in a fundamental enhancement, and eliminated the preference for non-fundamental over fundamental enhancements.
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Nanotech could revolutionise global healthcare

Nanotechnology has the potential to generate “enormous” health benefits for the more than five billion people living in the developing world, according to a leading professor of medicine.
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My comment: Its much too simple as its outlined in the article more drugs more technology do not good as such if the societal framework (not just related to businesses) is changed. But that does not just mean to direct more tech research priorities towards the needs of the poor. It also means to look at whether new research is actually needed and whether existing tech and sciences can deal with the problem. We have today drugs sciences and technologies who do not reach the people in need. Further more often social changes are much more effective in fighting diseases and preventing the increase of people with a given disease and to make the lives of the poor better than just producing more drugs or technologies.

To slow the progress of Parkinson’s disease, doctors planted electrodes deep in my brain. Then they turned on the juice.

from wired more at source

Nanoparticle Research Offers Hope of Artificial Retinas, Prostheses

Here’s how nano research might pave the way to the development of artificial retinas based on photosensitive nanoparticles:

The world’s first direct electrical link between nerve cells and photovoltaic nanoparticle films has been achieved by researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) and the University of Michigan. The development opens the door to applying the unique properties of nanoparticles to a wide variety of light-stimulated nerve-signaling devices — including the possible development of a nanoparticle-based artificial retina.

Nanoparticles are artificially created bits of matter not much bigger than individual atoms. Their behavior is controlled by the same forces that shape molecules; they also exhibit the bizarre effects associated with quantum mechanics. Scientists can exploit these characteristics to custom-build new materials “from the bottom up” with characteristics such as compatibility with living cells and the ability to turn light into tiny electrical currents that can produce responses in nerves.

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Human Rights for the 21st Century:Rights of the Person to Technological Self-Determination

IHEU- Appignani Humanist
Center for Bioethics and

Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

present

Human Rights for the 21st Century:

Rights of the Person to Technological Self-Determination

New York City

May 11-13, 2007

Cocktail Reception: Friday May 11, 6:00 – 9:00 pm

Location: TBD

Conference: Saturday May 12 and Sunday May 13, 9:00 am – 3:45 pm

Location: 777 UN Plaza, 2nd Floor, New York City, NY 10017

The 2007 conference “Human Rights for the 21st Century: Rights of the Person to Technological Self-Determination” will focus on (a) human rights in the context of bodily autonomy as well as reproductive and cognitive liberties, (b) emerging biotechnologies which may contribute to the exercise of such rights, and (c) challenges to the essentialist ideas of human identity underlying some human rights discourse.

The conference will address the various roles of emerging technologies and other products of scientific progress in today’s society, as well as their implications for the pursuit of bioethics. Potential topics to be considered include nanotechnology in medical treatment, novel vaccines against addictive behaviors, Internet-enabled social networking and engineering, designer genetic engineering, novel transplantable tissue and organ generation, neuroscience and its application to medical advances, as well as reproductive science and women’s rights. The conference intends to provide an open forum for interaction between various stakeholders in this debate, including those representing public, private, and international sectors.

These topics will be addressed through paper presentations and panel discussions. The deadline for the submission of papers is March 20, 2007. Accepted papers will be peer-reviewed and considered for publication in the Journal of Evolution and Technology (http://jetpress.org). Virtual registrations will be also available for those unable to attend the Conference who still wish to submit a paper for review and possible publication.

———————————————————————

Registration for presenters and early registrants is $50, payable by May 1, 2007.

Registration fee includes attendance at the two-day conference.

Cocktail reception: $15 extra.

The conference fee for students who attend is $25, for the general public (after May 1) $75.

The address for the submission of papers, registration fees (by check, payable to “IHEU”) or inquiries:

IHEU

P.O. Box 4104 Grand Central Station New York, NY 10162

Phone: (212) 687 3324 analita@iheu.org

Or by Paypal (online) to

http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/rights2007

Registration forms and other details will be posted on:

http://www.iheu.org/bioethics and at http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/rights2007

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Accommodation packages are available, on a first-come-first-serve basis, from the Pickwick Hotel, E 51st Street and Second Avenue. Tel: 212 355 0300, e-mail: info@pickwickarms.com.

Fifteen hotel rooms have been booked at Millenium UN Plaza Hotel New York, United Nations Plaza, 44th Street between First and Second Avenues, New York,NY, USA 10017-3575 Tel: 212 758 1234 fax: 212 702 5051 reservation: 866 866 8086 email: unplaza@mhrmail.com. Please quote Conference name when booking.

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The IHEU-Appignani Center for Bioethics focuses on raising awareness of bioethical issues confronting the international community and developing and implementing an international program for lobbying. The Center is a new initiative of the International Humanist and Ethical Union. IHEU holds a special consultative status with ECOSOC at the United Nations, a general consultative status with UNICEF and the Council of Europe as well as operational relations with UNESCO in Paris.

The Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies examines the social implications of technological progress, promoting public policies that distribute the benefits and reduce the risks of accelerating innovation. The IEET is chaired by Dr. Nick Bostrom of Oxford University, and served by Dr. James Hughes of Trinity College (Hartford CT) as its Executive Director. The thirteen Fellows of the IEET span expertise from nanotechnology, neurotechnology, biotechnology and information science to bioethics, philosophy and health policy. The IEET publishes the Journal of Evolution and Technology (jetpress.org) and hosts the Changesurfer podcast.

Bionic hand gives realistic grip

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Researchers Demonstrate Direct Brain Control Of Humanoid Robot

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