In the future, we'll all be cyborgs.

Many people are already, of course. Most of today's cyborgs are medical patients with pacemakers or artificial hips. Many amputees have artificial limbs, and some deaf or hard of hearing people have cochlear implants. This is not typically what we picture when we think of 'cyborgs,' but as technology advances, we'll likely start augmenting or replacing even more of ourselves with machinery, simply because it makes our lives better or easier. Even perfectly healthy people might opt to receive upgrades that improve their body's capabilities.

That future is still a long way off, but the first stages are already here. Many ambitious people are not willing to wait until cyborgs become mainstream and are taking it upon themselves to engineer the future they want to see. Take, for instance, this exoskeleton arm by Tex Projects. It's not particularly fancy, but it'll lift around 20 pounds with no trouble. What's more is that it was made by hand with parts that cost only about $100:

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In the near future, factory or warehouse workers who need to lift heavy objects could all be equipped with a commercial version of this. You might bring one when helping your friend move. A select few who want permanent superstrength could even graft the device onto their bodies.

It's tough to say exactly how cybernetic implants or augmentations will affect our bodies and our lives. The future is stubbornly unpredictable, but whatever happens in the field of cybernetics you'll likely find hobbyist makers doing it first.

Source: Tex Projects

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