The convergence of tissue engineering and robotics

TED talks are invariable thought-provoking. This 18-minute presentation by Juan Enriquez begins with commentary on the state of the economy, but then shifts to the true topic, which is how the dovetailing of cellular engineering, tissue engineering, and robotics presages a remarkable future for mankind (if we can get past the economics hurdle).

Some of the topics covered: the use of skin cells as a virtually unlimited source for stem cells, the use of the stem cells to produce artificial teeth and bladders, then hearts and tracheas and bladders, and finally artificial eyes and ears, the enhancement of those organs to "better than human" performance, and ultimately the combination with robotics such as the "big dog" pictured below for the creation of humans (or cyborgs) with much greater capabilities than we have (hearing ultrasound, viewing ultraviolet.

Perhaps "homo sapiens" is not the ultimate goal for God and evolutionary processes. If homo erectus thought he/she was God's ultimate goal and the perfect hominid, then he/she was wrong, because erectus was supplanted by Neanderthals. And if the Neanderthals thought they were the best that humans could be, then they were wrong too. Why should we have the hubris to think that we are the best possible creation of God and evolutionary processes?

Very thought-provoking.

I've now created a separate label for TED talks. And I would add that the TED talk I blogged long ago about crows learning to put money in vending machines to get peanut rewards has now been called into question.