The Body Electric: An Anatomy of the New Bionic Senses.The convergence of biology and technology is making way for a host of opportunities to repair and even enhance our senses and muscles. Some computers already have the capacity to see, hear, and touch, and a few people have had computer chips embedded in their bodies. For instance, an electrode implanted at the optic nerve optic nerve: see vision. of a blind woman with retinitis pigmentosa Retinitis Pigmentosa Definition Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) refers to a group of inherited disorders that slowly lead to blindness due to abnormalities of the photoreceptors (primarily the rods) in the retina. enables her to see shapes and colors. One researcher implanted a silicon chip in his arm that interacts with electronic devices around him. It transmits a signal that unlocks doors and turns on lights upon his arrival. Other devices allow odors Odors anosmia Medicine. the absence of the sense of smell; olfactory anesthesia. Also called anosphrasia. — anosmic, adj. halitosis bad breath; an unpleasant odor emanating from the mouth. and flavors to be transmitted over the Internet. Some computers act as lie detectors lie detector, instrument designed to record bodily changes resulting from the telling of a lie. Cesare Lombroso, in 1895, was the first to utilize such an instrument, but it was not until 1914 and 1915 that Vittorio Benussi, Harold Burtt, and, above all, William by analyzing facial expressions. Geary explores all these new technologies and their interplay with the mind, which he calls "the sixth sense." He even considers what it might be like to be cyborg. Originally published in Great Britain Great Britain, officially United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, constitutional monarchy (2005 est. pop. 60,441,000), 94,226 sq mi (244,044 sq km), on the British Isles, off W Europe. The country is often referred to simply as Britain. in 2002. Rutgers U Pr, 2002, 214 p., b&w illus., hardcover, $27.00. |
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