Part 1 – Understanding human augmentationto be fitter, healthier and more attractive. Human augmentation will be seen as a means of
fulfilling these desires.
Diffusion of advanced knowledge. The diffusion of advanced knowledge of the human
body will be a key driver for human augmentation. Social media and algorithms designed
to push information to interested people is leading to specialist information being readily
available. Although bogus information is spread, in the vast majority of cases societies are
much better informed about how the human body works and how to look after it. Social
media is also fuelling people’s desire to be fitter and healthier and this will increase demand
for human augmentation in the future. Increasing body awareness, particularly among
young adults, indicates a generational change in attitudes toward health. The use of
technology in professional sports has also increased significantly over the last 30 years and,
as it becomes less expensive, is cascading into recreational sport and everyday life.^4 This is
putting personalised biometric information into the hands of millions of people and enabling
them to track and improve their performance.
Key deductions and insights
- People have sought to augment themselves since the dawn of humanity – but over
the next 30 years our ability to manipulate the human body will radically improve. - Human augmentation encompasses science and technologies that optimise or
enhance human performance. - There are many different definitions of human augmentation. Finding consensus and
an agreed approach to human augmentation will be essential in allowing different
disciplines to collaborate effectively and realise its benefits. - We need to adopt a human-centric approach to realise the opportunities of human
augmentation. Thinking of the human as a platform – with physical, psychological
and social aspects – will be central to this. - Increasing data, complexity and speed is challenging the role of people in war
but will not replace them: war is a human endeavour; people have skills that
are still unrivalled by machines; and cultural and societal norms will take time to
accommodate the role of machines. - Human augmentation is inevitable because we have already developed technologies
and there is no going back; there are threats and opportunities
that we should address; and there is a growing demand from society.
4 Professional sport has used Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking to monitor performance, prevent
injury and even develop new tactics for nearly 15 years and similar wearable technology is now widespread in
society.
Key deductions and insights
- People have sought to augment themselves since the dawn of humanity – but
over the next 30 years our ability to manipulate the human body will radically
improve. - Human augmentation encompasses science and technologies that optimise or
enhance human performance. - There are many different definitions of human augmentation. Finding consensus
and an agreed approach to human augmentation will be essential in allowing
different disciplines to collaborate effectively and realise its benefits. - We need to adopt a human-centric approach to realise the opportunities of
human augmentation. Thinking of the human as a platform – with physical,
psychological and social aspects – will be central to this. - Increasing data, complexity and speed is challenging the role of people in war
but will not replace them: war is a human endeavour; people have skills that
are still unrivalled by machines; and cultural and societal norms will take time to
accommodate the role of machines. - Human augmentation is inevitable because: we have already developed
technologies and there is no going back; there are threats and opportunities
that we should address; and there is a growing demand from society.