Although there are many different forms of Cyborg-related items in society, prosthetic limbs are unique among artificial devices. They have a long history of use beginning in Ancient Egypt, “The Egyptians were the early pioneers of prosthetic technology. Their rudimentary, prosthetic limbs were made of fiber and it is believed that they were worn more for a sense of “wholeness” than function. However, scientists recently discovered what is said to be the world’s first prosthetic toe from an Egyptian mummy and it appears to have been functional” (3).
The first modern style artificial leg was introduced by French Army surgeon Ambroise Pare, who is also known as the father of modern amputation surgery and prosthetic design.
Technological progress became apparent for prosthetic limbs from the U.S. Civil War though both World Wars and the modern era, “As the U. S. Civil War dragged on, the number of amputations rose astronomically, forcing Americans to enter the field of prosthetics. James Hanger, one of the first amputees of the Civil War, developed what he later patented as the “Hanger Limb” from whittled barrel staves.
People such as Hanger, Selpho, Palmer and A.A. Marks helped transform and advance the prosthetics field with their refinements in mechanisms and materials of the devices of the time” (3). A particular place where prosthetic limbs are shown to go above and beyond human limitations and boundaries is the Special Olympic Games. Oscar Pistorius is an excellent example of how human beings, with wearable cutting-edge technologies, can change the way we view the world. He once participated in the Paralympics with two artificial legs in short-distance running competitions. After becoming the Paralympics winner, he attempted to enter the Summer Olympics and international competition in 2011, “At the 2012 Summer Paralympics, Pistorius won gold medals in the men’s 400-metre race and in the 4 × 100 metres relay, setting world records in both events” (4). Pistorius became the first amputee-runner to compete at the Olympic Games. His use of prosthetics raised huge dispute among people regarding the real boundary of human and machine.Pistorius proves the emergence of a bionic component in society, as well as disappearance of true line for the human organism and the physically tangible boundary between human and machine.
Modern advancements in medical technology and the recent advances made in 3D printing technology mean that prosthesis have become capable of a degree of movement and ability unheard of in previous generations. Prosthetic limbs have also become less taboo and many wears are able to customize their limbs to their personal needs, interests, and aesthetic tastes.
Prosthetic limbs represent an evolution in technology available to augment the human body and wears represent a combination of human body and bionics that normalizes wearable technology. Prosthetic limbs are both practical means to help individuals experience a full range of motion and a step in human evolution towards changing the body to produce hyper-functionality in the limbs.
Cyborgs 