Scientists Create First ‘Bionic Man’ That Can Walk And Breathe
Scientists create first complete ‘bionic man’ that can walk and breathe thanks to a body made from artificial parts.
The ‘bionic man’ phrase was coined from popular 1970’s television show ‘The Six Million Dollar Man’
Built using artificial organs, this bionic man has a beating heart, working kidney, lungs, and pancreas – it can also hear and see
It has between 60 to 60 per cent of normal human functions.The term ‘bionic man’ was the stuff of science fiction in the 1970s, when a popular TV show called ‘The Six Million Dollar Man’ chronicled the adventures of Steve Austin, a former astronaut whose body was rebuilt using artificial parts after he nearly died.
Now, a team of engineers has assembled a robot using artificial organs, limbs and other body parts that comes tantalizingly close to a true ‘bionic man.’ For real, this time.The artificial ‘man’ is the subject of a Smithsonian Channel documentary that airs Sunday, Oct. 20 at 9 p.m. Called “The Incredible Bionic Man,” it chronicles engineers’ attempt to assemble a functioning body using artificial parts that range from a working kidney and circulation system to cochlear and retina implants.
The parts hail from 17 manufacturers around the world. This is the first time they’ve been assembled together, says Richard Walker, managing director of Shadow Robot Co. and the lead roboticist on the project.
Read more: 1st Fully Bionic Man Walks, Talks and Breathes
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