Harvard Creates Cyborg Tissues

MrSeb writes "Bioengineers at Harvard University have created the first examples of cyborg tissue: Neurons, heart cells, muscle, and blood vessels that are interwoven by nanowires and transistors. These cyborg tissues are half living cells, half electronics. As far as the cells are concerned, they're just normal cells that behave normally — but the electronic side actually acts as a sensor network, allowing a computer to interface directly with the cells. In the case of cyborg heart tissue, the researchers have already used the embedded nanowires to measure the contractions (heart rate) of the cells. So far, the researchers have only used the nanoelectric scaffolds to read data from the cells — but according to lead researcher Charles Lieber, the next step is to find a way of talking to the individual cells, to 'wire up tissue and communicate with it in the same way a biological system does.' Suffice it to say, if you can use a digital computer to read and write data to your body's cells, there are some awesome applications."

Cu, Copper

[Anonymous Coward]

It has antimicrobial properties. In essence this could help fend off disease just by being there.

It is rather interesting and is worth the time to check it out. [wikipedia.org]

Re:Star Trek: First Contact, anyone?

[Anonymous Coward]

No. Riker, with the power of Q, offered to transform Data into a human but Data refused. In another episode, Data becomes Q's only friend when the latter is stripped of his powers. When Q got his powers back, he offered a gift to Data, which Data assumed meant turning him into a human but instead Q made Data laugh.