2.1 Biodigital Design

Technology has always been a key tool in improving our quality of life. From buffalo-driven ploughs that kick-started agricultural development; to the smartphones of today that aid in nearly every aspect of our daily lives - each generation has been increasingly able to significantly alter their lifestyles from the use of technological developments.

The key trend that I've chosen to focus on is the use of technology to overcome the limitations of human biology. The simplest example is glasses used to correct vision, of which the earliest usages can be traced back to Northern Italy around 1290 (Ilardi, 2007). Since then, humans have continued developing tools to overcome any deficiencies in our senses, with hearing aids and prosthetic limbs continually evolving to become more efficient and cost-effective. However, when the technologies used not only compensate for disabilities, but also enhance the user's abilities beyond normal human limitations, 'cyborgs' are created. 

There is dispute over what exactly constitutes a 'cyborg'. The term was originally used by Clynes and Kline (1960), to refer to their conception of a human who was enhanced so that they would be able to survive extra-terrestrial environments. Since then, the word 'cyborg' has been used to describe those with artificial implants ranging from cardiac pacemakers to cochlear implants; due to the fact that these additional electronic parts help their bodies achieve what they would not be able to otherwise. However, with such a loose definition, one could argue that people who use wearable technology such as smart watches are cyborgs, since they can modify the way they live and exercise based on the information gained from these devices.

(UZLueven, n.d.)

In terms of biodigital design, a key prediction I think will come to pass is the increased usage of wearable technology that's built to improve human lives. There is a risk of this increasing social inequality, since wealthier people would have more purchasing power and can afford to use these devices to extend and optimise their lives. Creative technologists will need to work to make these wearable devices more user-friendly and comfortable.

Bibliography:

Clynes, M., and Kline, N (1960) "Cyborgs and space," Astronautics, September, pp. 26–27 and 74–75; reprinted in Gray, Mentor, and Figueroa-Sarriera, eds., The Cyborg Handbook, New York: Routledge, 1995, pp. 29–34.

Ilardi, V (2007), Renaissance Vision from Spectacles to Telescopes, Philadelphia, PA: American Philosophical Society.

UZLueven (n.d.), Image of cochlear implant [Image]. Available at: http://www.uzleuven.be/en/ci