TED2018
Hugh Herr: How we'll become cyborgs and extend human potential
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Humans will soon have new bodies that forever blur the line between the natural and synthetic worlds, says bionics designer Hugh Herr. In an unforgettable talk, he details "NeuroEmbodied Design," a methodology for creating cyborg function that he's developing at the MIT Media Lab, and shows us a future where we've augmented our bodies in a way that will redefine human potential -- and, maybe, turn us into superheroes. "During the twilight years of this century, I believe humans will be unrecognizable in morphology and dynamics from what we are today," Herr says. "Humanity will take flight and soar."
Hugh Herr - Bionics designer
At MIT, Hugh Herr builds prosthetic knees, legs and ankles that fuse biomechanics with microprocessors to restore (and perhaps enhance) normal gait, balance and speed. Full bio
At MIT, Hugh Herr builds prosthetic knees, legs and ankles that fuse biomechanics with microprocessors to restore (and perhaps enhance) normal gait, balance and speed. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:13
I'm an MIT professor,
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but I do not design buildings
or computer systems.
or computer systems.
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Rather, I build body parts,
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bionic legs that augment
human walking and running.
human walking and running.
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In 1982, I was in
a mountain-climbing accident,
a mountain-climbing accident,
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and both of my legs had to be amputated
due to tissue damage from frostbite.
due to tissue damage from frostbite.
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Here, you can see my legs:
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24 sensors, six microprocessors
and muscle-tendon-like actuators.
and muscle-tendon-like actuators.
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I'm basically a bunch of nuts and bolts
from the knee down.
from the knee down.
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But with this advanced bionic technology,
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I can skip, dance and run.
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(Applause)
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Thank you.
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(Applause)
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I'm a bionic man,
but I'm not yet a cyborg.
but I'm not yet a cyborg.
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01:02
When I think about moving my legs,
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neural signals from
my central nervous system
my central nervous system
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pass through my nerves
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and activate muscles
within my residual limbs.
within my residual limbs.
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Artificial electrodes sense these signals,
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and small computers in the bionic limb
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decode my nerve pulses
into my intended movement patterns.
into my intended movement patterns.
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Stated simply,
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when I think about moving,
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that command is communicated
to the synthetic part of my body.
to the synthetic part of my body.
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However, those computers can't input
information into my nervous system.
information into my nervous system.
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When I touch and move my synthetic limbs,
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I do not experience normal
touch and movement sensations.
touch and movement sensations.
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If I were a cyborg and could feel my legs
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via small computers inputting information
into my nervous system,
into my nervous system,
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it would fundamentally change, I believe,
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my relationship to my synthetic body.
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Today, I can't feel my legs,
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and because of that,
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my legs are separate tools
from my mind and my body.
from my mind and my body.
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They're not part of me.
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I believe that if I were a cyborg
and could feel my legs,
and could feel my legs,
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they would become
part of me, part of self.
part of me, part of self.
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At MIT, we're thinking about
NeuroEmbodied Design.
NeuroEmbodied Design.
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In this design process,
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the designer designs human flesh and bone,
the biological body itself,
the biological body itself,
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along with synthetics to enhance
the bidirectional communication
the bidirectional communication
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between the nervous system
and the built world.
and the built world.
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NeuroEmbodied Design is a methodology
to create cyborg function.
to create cyborg function.
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In this design process,
designers contemplate a future
designers contemplate a future
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in which technology
no longer compromises separate,
no longer compromises separate,
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lifeless tools from
our minds and our bodies,
our minds and our bodies,
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a future in which technology
has been carefully integrated
has been carefully integrated
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within our nature,
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a world in which
what is biological and what is not,
what is biological and what is not,
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what is human and what is not,
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what is nature and what is not
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will be forever blurred.
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That future will provide
humanity new bodies.
humanity new bodies.
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NeuroEmbodied Design
will extend our nervous systems
will extend our nervous systems
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into the synthetic world,
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and the synthetic world into us,
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fundamentally changing who we are.
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By designing the biological body
to better communicate
to better communicate
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with the built design world,
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humanity will end disability
in this 21st century
in this 21st century
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and establish the scientific
and technological basis
and technological basis
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for human augmentation,
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extending human capability
beyond innate, physiological levels,
beyond innate, physiological levels,
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cognitively, emotionally and physically.
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There are many ways
in which to build new bodies across scale,
in which to build new bodies across scale,
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from the biomolecular
to the scale of tissues and organs.
to the scale of tissues and organs.
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Today, I want to talk about
one area of NeuroEmbodied Design,
one area of NeuroEmbodied Design,
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in which the body's tissues
are manipulated and sculpted
are manipulated and sculpted
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using surgical and regenerative processes.
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The current amputation paradigm
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hasn't changed fundamentally
since the US Civil War
since the US Civil War
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and has grown obsolete
in light of dramatic advancements
in light of dramatic advancements
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in actuators, control systems
and neural interfacing technologies.
and neural interfacing technologies.
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A major deficiency is the lack
of dynamic muscle interactions
of dynamic muscle interactions
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for control and proprioception.
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What is proprioception?
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When you flex your ankle,
muscles in the front of your leg contract,
muscles in the front of your leg contract,
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simultaneously stretching muscles
in the back of your leg.
in the back of your leg.
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The opposite happens
when you extend your ankle.
when you extend your ankle.
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Here, muscles in the back
of your leg contract,
of your leg contract,
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stretching muscles in the front.
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When these muscles flex and extend,
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biological sensors
within the muscle tendons
within the muscle tendons
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send information
through nerves to the brain.
through nerves to the brain.
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This is how we're able to feel
where our feet are
where our feet are
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without seeing them with our eyes.
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The current amputation paradigm
breaks these dynamic muscle relationships,
breaks these dynamic muscle relationships,
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and in so doing eliminates
normal proprioceptive sensations.
normal proprioceptive sensations.
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Consequently, a standard artificial limb
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cannot feed back information
into the nervous system
into the nervous system
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about where the prosthesis is in space.
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The patient therefore
cannot sense and feel
cannot sense and feel
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the positions and movements
of the prosthetic joint
of the prosthetic joint
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without seeing it with their eyes.
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My legs were amputated
using this Civil War-era methodology.
using this Civil War-era methodology.
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I can feel my feet,
I can feel them right now
I can feel them right now
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as a phantom awareness.
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But when I try to move them, I cannot.
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It feels like they're stuck
inside rigid ski boots.
inside rigid ski boots.
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To solve these problems,
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at MIT, we invented the agonist-antagonist
myoneural interface,
myoneural interface,
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or AMI, for short.
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The AMI is a method to connect nerves
within the residuum
within the residuum
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to an external, bionic prosthesis.
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How is the AMI designed,
and how does it work?
and how does it work?
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The AMI comprises two muscles
that are surgically connected,
that are surgically connected,
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an agonist linked to an antagonist.
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When the agonist contracts
upon electrical activation,
upon electrical activation,
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it stretches the antagonist.
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This muscle dynamic interaction
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causes biological sensors
within the muscle tendon
within the muscle tendon
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to send information through the nerve
to the central nervous system,
to the central nervous system,
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relating information on the muscle
tendon's length, speed and force.
tendon's length, speed and force.
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This is how muscle tendon
proprioception works,
proprioception works,
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and it's the primary way we, as humans,
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can feel and sense the positions,
movements and forces on our limbs.
movements and forces on our limbs.
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When a limb is amputated,
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the surgeon connects these opposing
muscles within the residuum
muscles within the residuum
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to create an AMI.
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Now, multiple AMI
constructs can be created
constructs can be created
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for the control and sensation
of multiple prosthetic joints.
of multiple prosthetic joints.
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Artificial electrodes are then placed
on each AMI muscle,
on each AMI muscle,
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and small computers within the bionic limb
decode those signals
decode those signals
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to control powerful motors
on the bionic limb.
on the bionic limb.
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When the bionic limb moves,
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the AMI muscles move back and forth,
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sending signals through
the nerve to the brain,
the nerve to the brain,
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enabling a person wearing the prosthesis
to experience natural sensations
to experience natural sensations
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of positions and movements
of the prosthesis.
of the prosthesis.
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Can these tissue-design principles
be used in an actual human being?
be used in an actual human being?
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A few years ago, my good friend
Jim Ewing -- of 34 years --
Jim Ewing -- of 34 years --
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reached out to me for help.
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Jim was in an a terrible
climbing accident.
climbing accident.
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He fell 50 feet in the Cayman Islands
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when his rope failed to catch him
hitting the ground's surface.
hitting the ground's surface.
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He suffered many, many injuries:
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punctured lungs and many broken bones.
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After his accident, he dreamed
of returning to his chosen sport
of returning to his chosen sport
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of mountain climbing,
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but how might this be possible?
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The answer was Team Cyborg,
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a team of surgeons,
scientists and engineers
scientists and engineers
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assembled at MIT to rebuild Jim
back to his former climbing prowess.
back to his former climbing prowess.
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Team member Dr. Matthew Carty
amputated Jim's badly damaged leg
amputated Jim's badly damaged leg
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at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston,
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using the AMI surgical procedure.
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Tendon pulleys were created
and attached to Jim's tibia bone
and attached to Jim's tibia bone
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to reconnect the opposing muscles.
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The AMI procedure
reestablished the neural link
reestablished the neural link
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between Jim's ankle-foot
muscles and his brain.
muscles and his brain.
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When Jim moves his phantom limb,
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the reconnected muscles
move in dynamic pairs,
move in dynamic pairs,
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causing signals of proprioception
to pass through nerves to the brain,
to pass through nerves to the brain,
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so Jim experiences normal sensations
with ankle-foot positions and movements,
with ankle-foot positions and movements,
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even when blindfolded.
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Here's Jim at the MIT laboratory
after his surgeries.
after his surgeries.
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We electrically linked Jim's AMI muscles,
via the electrodes,
via the electrodes,
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to a bionic limb,
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and Jim quickly learned
how to move the bionic limb
how to move the bionic limb
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in four distinct ankle-foot
movement directions.
movement directions.
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We were excited by these results,
but then Jim stood up,
but then Jim stood up,
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and what occurred was truly remarkable.
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All the natural biomechanics
mediated by the central nervous system
mediated by the central nervous system
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emerged via the synthetic limb
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as an involuntary, reflexive action.
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All the intricacies of foot placement
during stair ascent --
during stair ascent --
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(Applause)
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emerged before our eyes.
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Here's Jim descending steps,
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reaching with his bionic toe
to the next stair tread,
to the next stair tread,
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automatically exhibiting natural motions
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without him even trying to move his limb.
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Because Jim's central nervous system
is receiving the proprioceptive signals,
is receiving the proprioceptive signals,
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it knows exactly how to control
the synthetic limb in a natural way.
the synthetic limb in a natural way.
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Now, Jim moves and behaves
as if the synthetic limb is part of him.
as if the synthetic limb is part of him.
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For example, one day in the lab,
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he accidentally stepped
on a roll of electrical tape.
on a roll of electrical tape.
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Now, what do you do
when something's stuck to your shoe?
when something's stuck to your shoe?
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You don't reach down like this;
it's way too awkward.
it's way too awkward.
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Instead, you shake it off,
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and that's exactly what Jim did
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after being neurally connected to the limb
for just a few hours.
for just a few hours.
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What was most interesting to me
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is what Jim was telling us
he was experiencing.
he was experiencing.
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He said, "The robot became part of me."
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Jim Ewing: The morning after the first
time I was attached to the robot,
time I was attached to the robot,
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my daughter came downstairs
and asked me how it felt to be a cyborg,
and asked me how it felt to be a cyborg,
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and my answer was
that I didn't feel like a cyborg.
that I didn't feel like a cyborg.
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I felt like I had my leg,
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and it wasn't that I was
attached to the robot
attached to the robot
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so much as the robot was attached to me,
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and the robot became part of me.
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It became my leg pretty quickly.
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Hugh Herr: Thank you.
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(Applause)
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By connecting Jim's
nervous system bidirectionally
nervous system bidirectionally
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to his synthetic limb,
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neurological embodiment was achieved.
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I hypothesized that because Jim
can think and move his synthetic limb,
can think and move his synthetic limb,
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and because he can feel those movements
within his nervous system,
within his nervous system,
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the prosthesis is no longer
a separate tool,
a separate tool,
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but an integral part of Jim,
an integral part of his body.
an integral part of his body.
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Because of this neurological embodiment,
Jim doesn't feel like a cyborg.
Jim doesn't feel like a cyborg.
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He feels like he just has his leg back,
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that he has his body back.
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Now I'm often asked
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when I'm going to be neurally linked
to my synthetic limbs bidirectionally,
to my synthetic limbs bidirectionally,
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when I'm going to become a cyborg.
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The truth is, I'm hesitant
to become a cyborg.
to become a cyborg.
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Before my legs were amputated,
I was a terrible student.
I was a terrible student.
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I got D's and often F's in school.
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Then, after my limbs were amputated,
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I suddenly became an MIT professor.
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(Laughter)
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(Applause)
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Now I'm worried that once I'm neurally
connected to my limbs once again,
connected to my limbs once again,
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my brain will remap
back to its not-so-bright self.
back to its not-so-bright self.
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(Laughter)
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But you know what, that's OK,
because at MIT, I already have tenure.
because at MIT, I already have tenure.
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(Laughter)
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(Applause)
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I believe the reach
of NeuroEmbodied Design
of NeuroEmbodied Design
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will extend far beyond limb replacement
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and will carry humanity into realms
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that fundamentally
redefine human potential.
redefine human potential.
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In this 21st century,
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designers will extend the nervous system
into powerfully strong exoskeletons
into powerfully strong exoskeletons
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that humans can control
and feel with their minds.
and feel with their minds.
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Muscles within the body
can be reconfigured
can be reconfigured
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for the control of powerful motors,
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and to feel and sense
exoskeletal movements,
exoskeletal movements,
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augmenting humans' strength,
jumping height and running speed.
jumping height and running speed.
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In this 21st century, I believe humans
will become superheroes.
will become superheroes.
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Humans may also extend their bodies
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into non-anthropomorphic
structures, such as wings,
structures, such as wings,
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controlling and feeling each wing movement
within the nervous system.
within the nervous system.
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Leonardo da Vinci said,
"When once you have tasted flight,
"When once you have tasted flight,
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you will forever walk the earth
with your eyes turned skyward,
with your eyes turned skyward,
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for there you have been
and there you will always long to return."
and there you will always long to return."
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During the twilight years of this century,
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I believe humans will be unrecognizable
in morphology and dynamics
in morphology and dynamics
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from what we are today.
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Humanity will take flight and soar.
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Jim Ewing fell to earth
and was badly broken,
and was badly broken,
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but his eyes turned skyward,
where he always longed to return.
where he always longed to return.
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After his accident,
he not only dreamed to walk again,
he not only dreamed to walk again,
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but also to return to his chosen sport
of mountain climbing.
of mountain climbing.
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At MIT, Team Cyborg built Jim
a specialized limb for the vertical world,
a specialized limb for the vertical world,
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a brain-controlled leg with full position
and movement sensations.
and movement sensations.
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Using this technology,
Jim returned to the Cayman Islands,
Jim returned to the Cayman Islands,
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the site of his accident,
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rebuilt as a cyborg
to climb skyward once again.
to climb skyward once again.
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(Crashing waves)
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(Applause)
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Thank you.
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(Applause)
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Ladies and gentlemen, Jim Ewing,
the first cyborg rock climber.
the first cyborg rock climber.
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(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Hugh Herr - Bionics designerAt MIT, Hugh Herr builds prosthetic knees, legs and ankles that fuse biomechanics with microprocessors to restore (and perhaps enhance) normal gait, balance and speed.
Why you should listen
Hugh Herr co-directs the Center for Extreme Bionics at the MIT Media Lab, where he is pioneering a new class of biohybrid smart prostheses and orthoses to improve the quality of life for thousands of people with physical challenges. A powered ankle-foot prosthesis called the Empower by Ottobock, for instance, emulates the action of a biological leg to create a natural gait, allowing persons with amputation to walk with normal levels of speed and metabolism as if their legs were biological.
Herr also advances powerful body exoskeletons that augment human physicality beyond innate physiological levels, enabling humans to walk and run faster with less metabolic energy. He is the co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Dephy Inc., which creates products that augment physiological function through electromechanical enhancement.
Hugh Herr | Speaker | TED.com