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Technology will Save our Minds and Bodies (Medical)

The Avatar Project

Matthew DubucSocial Impact of Technology

Technology has come a long ways over the years and will continue to develop in the coming years. Much time and money has gone into medical research and developing new technologies that will help to heal and maintain a person’s mind or body. A new technology in this field that has recently come to light is the Avatar Project.

Introduction

The Avatar Project was developed by Dmitry Itskov through his company The 2025 Initiative

The Avatar Project is the idea of transposing human consciousness into artificial technology

The project is looking for wealthy billionaires and government support to help fund the project.

Background

It is their goal to save humanity from the inevitable destruction of our world.

The project will be broken down into four stages:

Avatar A: Anthropomorphic Robot Controlled Through a Brain-Computer Interface

Avatar B: Support Systems for Vital Brain Functions

Avatar C: Synthetic Carriers of Personality and Consciousness

Avatar D: A hologram-like avatar (no available link)

Background Continued

This is the first step of the Avatar Project. The goal of this stage is to create widespread use of android avatars controlled by a brain-computer interface. These avatars will provide people with the ability to work in dangerous environments, perform rescue operations, travel in extreme situations. In addition, some of the components used in the avatars can be used to help people with disabilities or lost limbs by giving them prosthetic to help them regain some senses.

Stages of The Avatar ProjectAvatar A

The next phase in project avatar is Avatar B. The next evolution of the avatars will be an autonomous life support system that allows people with bodies that are worn out or irreversibly damaged to transfer their brain into an avatar to regain fully functioning bodily life

Stages of The Avatar ProjectAvatar B

The next stage of avatars will include a computer modelled brain and human consciousness. This means that people will be able to upload their consciousness onto an artificial being. This will also help expand human capabilities, give people the ability to restore or modify their brain, and create technology assisted human immortality.

Stages of The Avatar ProjectAvatar C

Avatar D is the final stage and is a hologram like avatar. This gives people substance independence allowing them to potentially shape their body for their conscious.

Stages of The Avatar ProjectAvatar D

Projected Timeline

Check out the following videos for some more information on The Avatar Project and The 2045 Initiative:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=01hbkh4hXEk

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjQltzTL5bA www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wEZsSIpyp

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Videos

Disabilities, illness, and injury will disappear

Artificial bodies can be controlled at a distance would be able to extinguish the fires,  deal with  accidents in conditions dangerous to human life and health, can assist police, work as peacekeepers, explore dangerous areas, and decrease potential harm to people

Pros

Artificial intelligence is added to human consciousness to boost human intelligence

Enhanced physical attributes

Deep space travel becomes a feasible idea

Immortality is obtainable

Pros Continued

The potential that self aware robots could take over the world. Many of the start up robots will have human intelligence and will be weaponized for war. It may seem like science fiction but it is a genuine concern for many people.

If there is a soul, will it be transferred as well?

Cons and Concerns

It will most likely be available for the rich creating a bigger divide between the rich and the poor.

Because health insurance is setup to extend life as long as possible, will insurance cover avatars once they are mass produced?

The lack of body produced chemicals could have an effect on how the mind reacts

Cons and Concerns Continued

This technology is something that will change our planet and humankind as we know it. It has direct medical implications on both the body and mind. This has created a big division of supporters and skeptics within the scientific community. It is my opinion that this technology will be a great benefit and will allow humans to more than we could have ever dreamed of.

Conclusion

2045 Initiative. (n.d.). 2045 Initiative. Retrieved April 9, 2014, from http://2045.com/faq/

2045 Initiative. (n.d.). 2045 Initiative. Retrieved April 9, 2014, from http://2045.com/

Borghino, D. (2012, July 25). "Avatar" project aims for human immortality by 2045. "Avatar" project aims for human immortality by 2045. Retrieved April 9, 2014, from http://www.gizmag.com/avatar-project-2045/23454/

Couts, A. (2013, March 28). How one Russian millionaire wants to save the world ... with immortal cyborgs. Digital Trends. Retrieved April 9, 2014, from http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/dmitry-itskov-2045-initiative/#!DqbEv

References

Dillow, C. (2012, March 2). Will People Alive Today Have the Opportunity to Upload Their Consciousness to a New Robotic Body?. Popular Science. Retrieved April 9, 2014, from http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2012-03/achieving-immortality-russian-mogul-wants-begin-putting-human-brains-robots-and-soon

Pros and Cons of Immortality. (2013, March 22). Ignite. Retrieved April 9, 2014, from http://ignitechannel.com/articles/consciousness/pros-and-cons-of-immortality/

Technology / 2045 Initiative. (n.d.). Technology / 2045 Initiative. Retrieved April 9, 2014, from http://2045.com/tech2/

References Continued