Technology is already being used, and soon could enhance the lives of ADHDers. See the near future. Become a CYBORG soon!

Jon

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040110/ap_on_hi_te/internet_profile_cyborg_1

Professor Lives Life As a Cyborg
Sat Jan 10, 1:43 PM ET Add Technology - AP to My Yahoo!


By BRIAN BERGSTEIN, AP Technology Writer

TORONTO - When you first meet Steve Mann, it seems as if you've interrupted him appraising diamonds or doing some sort of specialized welding. Because the first thing you notice is the plastic frame that comes around his right ear and holds a lens over his right eye.


AP Photo


Related Links
• Professor Steve Mann (eyetap.org)
• Eye Tap Technology (eyetap.org)



But quickly you see that there's more to his contraption: A tiny video camera is affixed to the plastic eyepiece. Multicolored wires wrap around the back of Mann's head. Red and white lights blink under his sweater.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040110/ap_on_hi_te/internet_profile_cyborg_1

You must be kidding!

There is any question?

Pretty coool huh David? lol

Jon

It is the angle I champion... augmentation and substitution for impairements and disabilities respectively.

Although I'd get wired in a flash - fact is that natural selection has endowed us with the most advanced (and more importantly adaptable) technology already. Figuring out how tap into that should be priority one; augmenting yourself with technology should come second - otherwise one is simply attempting to deal with the symptoms of the problem and not problem itself. As an implementer of I.T. technology, I can see this concept in practise every day - I never solve problems (that is to say I do attempt to, but to solve a problem it must be defined and the people I work with - rarely are willing to be sufficiently honest with themselves to admit to the existance of a problem, nevermind it's definition or attept a solution) I only patch the leaks.

No reason why it cannot be worked on from both sides, one side the technology to let people live more normal lives, and the other side the continued research into areas such as biological cause, and how to use ADHD to ones advantage rather than to one's disadvantage, or many others areas of research.

I like your point.

Jon

I saw this story in our local paper (online version) and if I hadn't seen it here, I would have posted a link myself. Adaptive technology! Hooray!

Originally posted by why
Although I'd get wired in a flash - fact is that natural selection has endowed us with the most advanced (and more importantly adaptable) technology already. Figuring out how tap into that should be priority one; augmenting yourself with technology should come second - otherwise one is simply attempting to deal with the symptoms of the problem and not problem itself. As an implementer of I.T. technology, I can see this concept in practise every day - I never solve problems (that is to say I do attempt to, but to solve a problem it must be defined and the people I work with - rarely are willing to be sufficiently honest with themselves to admit to the existance of a problem, nevermind it's definition or attept a solution) I only patch the leaks.

I agree wit your assessment of the common and current state of "problem solving opportunities.

I disagree that this deals with the symptoms, I believe THIS deals with the causes.

David

Well here's the crux of the issue - I consider the "ADD state" a valuable "member" of bio-diversity on this planet. Eliminating it does not solve the issue elegantly - it is brute. Finding a way to incorporate the two states for co-operation and co-existance, in my view, is the elegant sollution.

I guess that's getting closer to my position...

You perhaps see the cause and the result as too much the same thing!

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a genetic inborn error of metabolism that is detectable during the first days of life with appropriate blood testing (newborn screening). The absence or deficiency of an enzyme that is responsible for processing the essential amino acid phenylalanine characterizes PKU. With normal enzymatic activity, phenylalanine is converted to another amino acid (tyrosine), which is then utilized by the body. However, when the phenylalanine hydroxylase enzyme is absent or deficient, phenylalanine abnormally accumulates in the blood and is toxic to brain tissue.

Without treatment, most infants with PKU develop mental retardation. Those with untreated PKU may also develop additional neurologic symptoms.


But with avoidance of dietary sources of the compond, the bad results are also avoided.

The problem isn't fixed. But the negative side effects, many of them, can't occur after development has occurred.

Thus, ADHD can stay INTACT, and yet, with any one of a number of techniques, including but not limited to AVOIDANCE of problems, we can keep the up side and miss the down side.

That is my theory of operation.

ADHD does not (in most cases) does not lead to dire consequences (it certainly does not have to) unlike the example you give above. Just because one state is not as good at answering the current spec doesn't mean that it needs to be erradicated as in the future the spec may change.

I draw your attention to the MECHANISM, not the direness of the disease state, but the PROCESS of TREATING IT!

And, speak for yourself about how dire it is or isn't. The suicide rate of ADHDers is higher than the rest of the population... that is "pretty dire" to me.

Finally, I have not proposed eradicating ADHD. Your statement "doesn't mean that it needs to be eradicated as in the future" implies that i did propose such a thing. I did not, and do not.

You're right.

I've decided to like my flower just as it is. I encourage others to see its merrits. If they do - I bring them closer; if the don't - I keep away and accept all the consequences that come of that - be they good or bad.

That was treatment enough for me. I guess you're looking for something else.

I'd be a little paranoid about installing Microsoft Cyborg 2.0 on my own body, thank you very much... :eek:

I'll only run code I've written or rewritten myself.

I'll become a cyBORG only if I can get a date with 7 of 9.

Why's bringing forward an excellent point that reflects my own current point of view. I lived with "hopeless" symptoms of ADHD for 34 years, when I finally sought to do something about it. Through some treatment, some psychiatry, but ultimately, the support of people I choose to include in my life, things are changing for me.

Every successful step I take to minimize the negative effects of having ADHD under control brings me more self-awareness and even a more enlightened consciousness. Should I have had a "quick-fix" such as cyborg implants, I couldn't hope to be motivated to be the man I am becoming. We each have our own journey to take, of course, but I choose to follow the belief that if the Creator chose to impart these traits on me, then learning to manage them is a part of my journey.

The link wont work for me...

Nor will the link work for me But I am in the waiting line with FaceonMars

I'll become a cyBORG only if I can get a date with 7 of 9.

I think I already am a cyborg. My boss and co-workers at least seem to think so.