When the word “Cyborg” is mentioned, one thinks of, say, a movie character, perhaps the DC superhero, or maybe Robocop, with inbuilt lasers and AI. What we don’t know, however, is that cyborgs are all around us. Confused? We must start with the question, what is a cyborg? The term, credited to Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline, applies to an organism that has restored function or enhanced abilities due to the integration of some artificial component or technology that relies on feedback. Put simply, a cyborg is a being with both organic and biomechatronic body parts. Therefore, by this definition, any human with bionic body parts or prostheses can be considered a cyborg.
Prosthetics are artificial devices that are intended to restore the functions of the missing parts of a body, such as arms, legs, wrists, toes, eyes, fingers, etc., which may have been lost through trauma or disease. Modern-day prostheses are created by computer-aided design, while rehabilitation is primarily coordinated by a physiatrist who, in conjunction with a surgeon, typically implants the prostheses. The origins of prostheses, however, are far more arcane, and one of the oldest successful prototypes can be explained via the story of Götz von Berlichingen, a man who was known as ‘of the iron hand’.
In 1504, Berlichingen and his mercenary army fought for Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria. During the siege of the city of Landshut, he lost the wrist of his right arm when the enemy cannon fire forced his sword against him. He then had two mechanical prosthetic iron replacements made. The first iron hand was a simpler device, claimed to have been made by a local blacksmith and a saddle maker, and the second, more famous prosthetic hand, was capable of holding objects from a shield to reins to a quill. Despite the injury, Berlichingen continued his military activities, underlining the success of his prosthetic arm.
There have been a myriad of developments in artificial limbs over the years. Artificial limbs have become significantly lighter and stronger due to more innovative polymers such as carbon fiber, which reduce the amount of extra energy required to operate the limb. For transfemoral amputees, this is very critical. Mechanical limbs now look considerably more lifelike thanks to the aforementioned new materials, which is significant for trans-radial and transhumeral amputees who are more likely to have the artificial limb exposed. In addition, electronics have also become quite widespread in artificial limbs. Myoelectric limbs, which control limbs by translating muscle motions to electrical signals, have grown far more popular than cable-operated limbs, which are positioned around the shoulder, used to bend or straighten the elbow. As a result, the viability of continuing day-to-day activity whilst utilizing prosthetic limbs has increased, due to the increased accuracy and speed of movement.
The use of prostheses has become widespread globally and in history, and this therefore shows how common cyborgs really are. As mentioned before, they are far more prevalent than one thinks, and data shows that the percentage of amputees making use of lower extremity and upper extremity has risen from 65% to 95%. So, surprisingly enough, the number of cyborgs around us is increasing every day, and is going to increase a lot more in the future.
Written by Arnav Sherpuri
Glossary
1. Transfemoral (above knee) amputees are people who have been through a surgical procedure performed to remove the lower limb at or above the knee joint when that limb has been severely damaged by trauma, disease, or congenital defect
2. Transradial amputation is a surgical procedure in which the radius and ulna (bones of the lower arm) are cut, and the lower portion of these bones and the hand are removed from the body.
3. Transhumeral amputation (also known as 'above the elbow'), the amputation occurs through the upper arm bone (the humerus) , so that the elbow is no longer present.
4. Lower extremity is a part of the body that includes the leg, ankle, and foot.
5. Upper extremity or arm is a functional unit of the upper body. It consists of three sections, the upper arm, forearm, and hand.
References:
Raichle, K. A., Hanley, M. A., Molton, I., Kadel, N. J., Campbell, K., Phelps, E., Ehde, D., & Smith, D. G. (2008). Prosthesis use in persons with lower- and upper-limb amputation. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, 45(7), 961–972. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2743731/
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Wikipedia Contributors. (2022, February 24). Götz von Berlichingen. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6tz_von_Berlichingen
Ottobockus.com https://www.ottobockus.com/prosthetics/success-stories/josh's-dynamicarm-story/
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Cable-operated elbows. (2020, April 2). Hanger Clinic. https://hangerclinic.com/prosthetics/upper-limb/prosthetic-elbows/cable-operated-elbows/#:~:text=Cable%2Doperated%20elbows%2C%20sometimes%20called,bend%20or%20straighten%20the%20elbow.
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